In a major operation spanning 13 states under the code name "Operation Octopus," the Hyderabad police arrested 66 individuals allegedly involved in supplying ghost SIM cards to cybercriminals. Officers stated that these SIMs were linked to 76 fraud cases involving a total of Rs 101 crore.
Arrests Across Multiple States
The arrests were made across Telangana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha after police discovered 1,164 illegally issued SIMs used in cybercrime cases. Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar confirmed that 544 SIMs were seized, including 432 that were about to be dispatched to cybercriminals.
Profile of the Accused
Among those arrested, 44 had SIMs issued in their names, 20 operated temporary kiosks, and two acted as middlemen. Police revealed that agents activated extra SIMs without customers' knowledge using eKYC and diverted them to cybercriminals. Some accused also lured people into surrendering their SIMs for money.
Next Steps
Police said that telecom providers would be asked to tighten verification systems and blacklist errant agents to prevent such activities in the future.
