Fake SIM Racket Busted In Bhopal, 7 Arrested Under Operation FACE

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal Rural Police have busted an organised fake SIM card network under Operation FACE (Facial Authentication Compliance Enforcement). The joint operation was carried out by Berasia and Itkhedi police stations along with the cyber crime team.

Acting on technical inputs received from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and analysis using ASTR (AI-based Facial Recognition Tool), investigators discovered that multiple SIM cards were issued using the same facial identity but under different names. This pointed to a well-organised network exploiting loopholes in the SIM issuance process.

Seven POS agents, residents of Berasia, Itkhedi, and nearby areas, were arrested. They have been identified as Pradeep Kushwaha, Irfan Khan, Rajendra Singh, Wasim Khan, Pritam Singh Sahu, Nandu Sharma and Sonu Sahu. According to police officials, POS agents and distributors seem to be involved in activating SIM cards using forged documents in clear violation of telecom regulations. These SIMs are suspected to have been used in various criminal activities.

Cases have been registered under Section 66 (C) of IT Act and Telecommunications Act. Efforts are underway to identify and arrest other individuals involved in the racket.

Key findings

Over 91 suspicious SIM cards identified

Multiple SIMs issued using a single facial identity

Fake or missing Customer Application Forms (CAF)

Serious irregularities in photo and ID verification

SIM cards older than three years found misused