Daijiworld Media Network - Malappuram
Malappuram, May 10: The cyber crime unit of Malappuram police has confiscated over 40,000 SIM cards, 180 mobile phones, and six biometric readers from a Karnataka native believed to be a key figure in an online racket.
Abdul Roshan (46) was apprehended Wednesday night from his residence in Madikeri by a special team led by DCRB (District Crime Records Bureau) DySP V S Shaju. The investigation was initiated on March 10 following a complaint from a Vengara resident who suffered a loss of Rs 1.08 crore in an online stock trading platform.
According to the police, the accused utilized the phones and SIM cards to receive OTP messages from unsuspecting victims of cyber fraud. Mobile shops associated with Roshan's network surreptitiously collected customers' fingerprints and utilized them to activate SIM cards. Roshan purchased such SIM cards for Rs 50 each.
"This seizure of SIM cards is among the largest in the state related to online fraudulent activities. The extent of this cybercrime is still being determined. We have received some leads from Roshan and the investigation is ongoing. Several individuals are involved in the crime, operating from various parts of the country, and even abroad," stated S Sasidharan, Malappuram district police chief.