Ludhiana SIM Card Retailer Arrested in Massive Rs 1,100-Crore International Cybercrime Bust
In a significant breakthrough against transnational digital crime, police have dismantled a crucial link in a sprawling international cybercrime network, arresting a Ludhiana-based telecommunications retailer accused of channeling hundreds of SIM cards to a massive Rs 1,100-crore fraud syndicate operating from Cambodia. The arrest exposes how routine mobile plan activations can become gateways for global criminal enterprises.
The Deceptive Double-Click Identity Harvesting Scheme
Investigators have uncovered a sophisticated method of identity theft employed by the accused retailer, Sandeep Bhatt, aged 27. As a licensed retailer for two major telecommunications companies, Bhatt allegedly exploited his position to harvest customer identities through a deceptive tactic known as the "double-click scam".
When customers visited his outlet to purchase a SIM card, Bhatt would claim technical or biometric failures, requesting to photograph them twice under the pretext that the first image was "unclear". Using these dual sets of credentials, he would simultaneously activate two separate SIM cards. While the customer received one functional SIM, the second was diverted directly to the Cambodian-based syndicate for use in illicit financial operations.
Inspector Suresh Saran of the Jodhpur cybercrime unit confirmed that Bhatt represents the sixth arrest connected to this extensive criminal nexus. The scale of the operation came to light after a Telangana resident suffered a staggering loss of approximately Rs 8.9 crore in a single fraudulent scheme. "When police probed the matter, it was discovered that the SIM used in the crime was issued in the name of a man who was completely unaware of its existence," Inspector Saran revealed to reporters.
A Repeat Offender in Cyber-Infrastructure Crime
The investigation paints Bhatt as a career participant in cyber-infrastructure crime. Police allege he arranged at least 200 SIM cards for the syndicate in 2024 alone. Notably, this is not his first encounter with law enforcement for such activities.
In 2025, Uttarakhand police had previously arrested Bhatt for an identical fraud scheme involving SIM card activation. He was out on bail for those charges when the Jodhpur investigation connected him to the current Rs 1,100-crore international operation, highlighting a pattern of sustained criminal engagement.
The Global Shadow Industry of Interconnect Bypass Fraud
The arrest of Sandeep Bhatt in Ludhiana underscores a sophisticated criminal methodology known as "interconnect bypass fraud". This global shadow industry enables offshore syndicates, frequently based in Southeast Asian hubs like Cambodia, to operate within India's borders without physical presence in the country.
The primary technological tool for these organizations is the SIM Box or GSM Gateway. This device can house hundreds of SIM cards simultaneously, functioning as a bridge between the internet and local cellular networks. Syndicates profit from the "grey route"—charging international call rates to users while paying only local, or sometimes zero, rates to Indian telecom providers, creating massive illicit revenue streams.
Police authorities are continuing to trace the complex money trail as they work to identify the higher-ranking architects behind the Cambodian operational hub. This case serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in telecom retail processes and the global reach of organized cybercrime networks targeting Indian citizens.
