Under Operation Chakra, the CBI has arrested three individuals—including Debashish Doley, the Airtel Territorial Sales Manager in Silchar, Assam—for facilitating the unauthorised issuance of SIM cards used in a range of cybercrimes. These included digital arrest scams, impersonation, fake advertising, investment fraud, and UPI-based cyber offences.
SIM Cards Turned Tools for Cybercrime
CBI investigations uncovered that Doley colluded with middlemen, distributors, and Point-of-Sale (PoS) agents to issue SIM cards in the names of unsuspecting individuals without their consent. These SIMs—often called “ghost SIMs”—were then sold in bulk at inflated rates to cybercriminals. The scheme exploited procedural gaps, bypassing e-KYC safeguards.
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The scam wasn’t limited to Assam. In May, CBI had already unearthed a similar racket across Uttar Pradesh involving over 1,100 ghost SIMs, implicating agents in several states and prompting a nationwide investigation.
Raids Reveal Digital Evidence
The CBI conducted coordinated searches at five locations across Cachar district, seizing mobile phones, electronic devices, and copies of KYC documents as critical evidence. All three suspects have been produced before the local magistrate, with transit remand already granted. They are set to appear in the FIR court soon.
SIM cards issued fraudulently become key enablers for digitally routed crimes—from fake legal threats to financial scams—because they help anonymise transactions and evade detection. This case underscores that cybercriminals don’t just exploit data—they depend on insider collusion within telecom frameworks.
CBI’s crackdown is a clear signal: dismantling fraud infrastructure is as critical as catching the perpetrators. Continued vigilance, tightening of e-KYC compliance, and frequent audits of PoS networks are essential to thwart such systemic threats.