Four arrested over illegal SIM box network suspected of aiding cyberfrauds
Four jailed in Bengaluru over SIM box network suspected of aiding cyberfrauds, sextortion, and financial crimes across two Whitefield facilities.
Updated - October 22, 2026 08:51 pm IST - Bengaluru
The Karnataka Cyber Command Unit on Thursday announced the arrest of four people in connection with an alleged illegal SIM box network operating from two apartments in east Bengaluru’s Whitefield.
The cyber wing said it suspects that the network could be linked to digital arrest scams, sextortion, and financial cyberfrauds. The arrests followed an investigation into two facilities in Kadugodi and Pattandur Agrahara, where police recovered 10 SIM box devices with a combined capacity of 320 SIM connections, according to a press note issued by the Cyber Command Unit.
The agency said that the investigation was initiated after a complaint by the Chief Circle nodal officer of Bharti Airtel Limited, Bengaluru, regarding the suspected unauthorised use of Airtel SIM cards in a SIM box setup. The Cyber Crime Police Station in Whitefield registered a case on August 26.
A joint operation with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) led to the recovery of six SIM box devices from an apartment in Kadugodi and four from another in Pattandur Agrahara. Each device had 32 SIM slots, giving the two facilities a combined capacity of 320 SIM connections.
The police said the investigation had established that both facilities were set up and operated by the same network of accused persons. The devices are suspected to have been used to facilitate fraudulent communications and related cybercrime activities. Their exact operational role and links to accused persons are being examined.
The investigation also led the police to Tiroda in Maharashtra’s Gondia district, where they traced leads concerning the alleged sale of SIM cards and their conversion into e-SIM profiles for use in the network. Four people have been arrested so far for their alleged involvement in activities connected with the e-SIM supply chain.
Preliminary leads suggest that the wider network could involve financial exposure running into hundreds of crores of rupees, according to the agency. However, the number of victims, the actual financial losses, and the extent of the network are yet to be established.
Further investigation is under way to determine the individual roles of the arrested persons, identify others involved, and establish possible links between the SIM/e-SIM supply chain.
Published - October 22, 2026 08:49 pm IST
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