Kolkata: Cops busted an interstate cybercrime network allegedly involved in supplying SIM cards obtained using fake documents and operating a fraudulent call centre in New Town, targeting people in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Eleven people, including SIM-card agents and youths allegedly running the call centre, have been arrested.
Police first arrested Tousif Alam (22), an agent associated with the telecom outlet, from the Amherst Street area. After interrogating him, police arrested Manzur Alam (42) and Ziaul Rahman. Police are interrogating the 11 accused to identify other members of the network and establish the extent of the alleged cyber fraud.
The SIMs were subsequently being used in cybercrime cases in different parts of the country, police said. The accused allegedly lured financially vulnerable people with money and obtained SIM cards in their names, according to police. The arrested accused have been identified as Tousif Alam, Manzur Alam, Ziaul Rahman, Mohammad Moinuddin, Vannapuram Sriram, Rathod Mahesh, Kalthi Charan Pandu, Uday Kumar, Katravath Anil, M Naresh and Rathod Arun. The probe began after the cyber cell found that a telecom outlet named Tousif Telecom in Narkeldanga was allegedly issuing SIM cards using fake documents. A joint team raided a flat at Hathiyara Sharif under Eco Park Police Station in New Town. Seven youths from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were allegedly caught operating a fake call centre from the flat. Police seized several mobile phones, a logbook containing names and mobile numbers of people and other equipment allegedly used in the fraud. The accused allegedly contacted potential victims through WhatsApp and other social media platforms, promising them financial benefits before cheating them.