CBI arrests Airtel distributor in Bihar over illegal SIM box fraud

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an Airtel area distributor in the Mahua region of Vaishali, Bihar, in connection with an illegal SIM box operation used for cyber fraud. The arrest followed raids conducted at 10 locations across Bihar and Odisha, including Jagatsinghpur.

The investigation stems from an illegal SIM box operation discovered last year in Supaul, Bihar. During the probe, authorities recovered over 1,300 SIM cards from a residence used to operate the SIM box. Data analysis indicates this operation was linked to at least 73 cybercrime cases across India, including incidents involving ‘digital arrest’ scams.

The distributor is accused of fraudulently issuing more than 700 SIM cards by misusing the credentials of over a dozen points of sale. Many customers reported being unaware that SIM cards had been issued in their names. Investigators found that some individuals were deceived into performing e-KYC for legitimate purposes, while others had their biometric data misused to facilitate the unauthorized issuance of additional SIM cards.