CBI busts phishing racket; telecom manager held for 21,000 fake SIMs

The CBI arrested an Area Sales Manager of a telecom firm under Operation 'Chakra-V' for facilitating a phishing network. The accused helped procure 21,000 fraudulent SIM cards by faking KYC documents for cybercriminals, including foreign actors.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as part of its Operation 'Chakra-V', has arrested an Area Sales Manager of a Telecom Service Provider (TSP) in an ongoing case aimed at "dismantling the technical backbone of organised cybercrime."

CBI Busts Organised Phishing Network

In December 2025, the CBI uncovered and disrupted an organised phishing network operating in the NCR/Chandigarh region that provided bulk SMS services to cybercriminals, including foreign actors targeting Indian citizens.

The accused procured approximately 21,000 SIM cards in violation of Department of Telecommunications (DoT) rules to facilitate the transmission of bulk SMS messages to send phishing messages.

Three persons, including a channel partner of the TSP, were arrested in December 2025 and are currently under judicial custody.

Telecom Manager's Role in the Scam

According to an official statement, the role of a TSP official became apparent during the investigation. The official, serving as an Area Sales Manager, was actively involved in facilitating the bulk issuance of fraudulent SIM cards.

Modus Operandi: Faking KYC Documents

He arranged dummy individuals, falsely projecting them as employees of M/s Lord Mahavira Services India Pvt. Ltd., and submitted their documents to complete the KYC formalities.

The statement mentioned that a family residing in Bengaluru were among those arranged by the official and shown as employees of the accused company. Copies of these persons' Aadhaar cards were recovered from the official's possession.

The SIM cards obtained through these fraudulent means were subsequently used for operating the phishing ecosystem exposed during the investigation.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is the first step in most cyber frauds, used to lure innocent members of the public via mass SMS, calls, or messages that offer fake loans, investment opportunities, or threaten them. Once victims share details or click links, they are drawn into larger scams, resulting in financial losses. (ANI)

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