Kolkata, Feb 17 (NationPress) A significant SIM box racket has been dismantled with the apprehension of one individual in relation to a cyber fraud case exceeding Rs 3 crore in Kolkata, as reported by the police on Tuesday.

The arrest stemmed from the duping of a Kolkata couple out of more than Rs 3 crore through threats of a digital arrest.

The suspect, identified as Mohammad Amjad (38), was taken into custody on Monday after police executed a raid on Amherst Street in central Kolkata.

Authorities disclosed that Amjad's name was revealed following the interrogation of Abir Sheikh, who was arrested by Bidhannagar Police for operating a similar SIM box scheme.

The fraudulent scheme reportedly occurred in October of the previous year.

The victim, Bidhan Ghoshdastidar, a businessman from Behala, was misled by an individual impersonating a courier company official, claiming illegal drugs had been found in a parcel under his name.

The police indicated that the CBI and ED were investigating him. Subsequently, another individual introduced himself as CBI officer Amit Kumar and made a video call to Bidhan. During this video call, Bidhan and his wife faced threats of imminent arrest.

The scammers instructed them to activate their mobile video to maintain the couple's movements under CBI surveillance. Out of fear, they complied. During the call, counterfeit ID cards and documents from CBI, ED, and RBI were displayed. Soon after, two additional individuals joined the video call, claiming to be IPS officers, further intimidating the couple with threats of arrest. They then demanded payment to avoid charges. Ultimately, the couple transferred a total of Rs 3 crore and 1 lakh into the fraudsters' bank account.

Upon realizing the deception, the couple lodged a complaint with the cyber police station. Based on their report, Amjad was apprehended. He also operated a shop on Marquis Street.

Prior to his arrest, law enforcement searched his premises, seizing a variety of illegal materials, including 12 SIM boxes, a laptop, nine routers, a WiFi-equipped CCTV camera, 17 mobile phones, 2,250 SIM cards, LAN cables, and more.

The investigation revealed that these calls were facilitated not through standard mobile devices, but via a specialized device known as a SIM box. This device enables international calls to be processed as ordinary local calls over the internet by accommodating multiple SIM cards simultaneously. In essence, it conceals the origin of the actual call, facilitating a vast number of calls while circumventing government regulations.

“Our investigation also uncovered that an individual named Abir Sheikh was managing a similar SIM box network in the areas of Baguiati, Rajabazar, and Esplanade within Kolkata. He employed virtual numbers and a VPN from Bangladesh to obscure his true location. The inquiry also unveiled his connections to Malaysia and identified several associates who supplied him with SIM cards,” disclosed a police source.

“After a period of surveillance, acting on information from the Department of Telecommunications, the Bidhannagar Commissionerate apprehended Abir Sheikh with a SIM box from the Hatiyara region of Baguiati on the morning of February 14. Based on his statements, our team proceeded to the Amherst Street and Park Street police stations,” the source elaborated.

Initial interrogations indicated that Abir, a national from Bangladesh, was deeply involved in illegal call routing. However, the investigation suggests that the mastermind of this operation is Biplab Hossain, a resident of Tripura. Alongside him is a Malaysian national named Chung Wei Kiat, who entered India on a medical visa. Ongoing investigations aim to uncover further individuals implicated in this operation and the extent of its international connections.