Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, August 17, 2025 – In a major crackdown, the Varanasi Police have dismantled a cybercrime gang involved in selling fake SIM cards to fraudsters, a scheme that fueled online scams across the region. The operation, led by Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal, resulted in the arrest of four suspects, including two point-of-sale (POS) agent from a telecom company. The joint effort by the cyber cell and Lalpur Pandeypur police station uncovered a stash of 71 fake SIM cards, mobile phones, a biometric machine, and Rs 18,940 in cash used in the racket.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police revealed during cybercrime analysis that 10 SIM cards were issued using the same account. During questioning, Arun Tripathi, a resident of Hartirath under Kotwali police station, disclosed crucial leads that led to the arrest of Neyaz Ahmad, a resident of Katehar Pilikothi in Jaitpura. Following this, police nabbed Sunil Yadav from village Titira Kudiyari, Tarwa police station in Azamgarh, along with Shubham Agrahari from New Basti, Pandeypur.
POS agents have exploited their position to activate fake SIM cards using forged documents, which were then sold to cybercriminals for scams like phishing and financial fraud. The arrests took place late Friday after a tip-off led police to a hideout in the Lalpur area. “We’ve seized critical evidence, and the telecom company’s license for this agent will be canceled,” said a senior officer.
The operation began when police noticed a spike in cybercrimes linked to untraceable SIM cards. Investigations revealed the gang was supplying these SIMs to fraudsters in Delhi and NCR region, who used them for illegal activities, making it hard for authorities to track them. The biometric machine was used to bypass security checks, allowing the gang to activate SIMs without proper verification.
The arrests have sent a strong message to cybercriminals in the region. Varanasi Police are now working to identify buyers of these fake SIMs to crack down on related scams. Authorities are urging the public to report suspicious calls or messages.
