Karimganj Police Apprehend 2, Connected to SIM Card and Bank Fraudulents while Cracking Down a Cyber Crime Syndicate

In a significant breakthrough, the collaborative efforts of the Karimganj Police and the Nagaon Police have led to the apprehension of two individuals, Nazmin Sultana and Jamal Uddin. They are suspected members of an organized cybercrime syndicate operating across Assam. These arrests follow an extensive investigation into a case involving fraudulent SIM card portation and bank fraud, prompted by a complaint filed on September 20, 2023, by Abdul Hamid, a retired teacher from Patharkandi.

Hamid's complaint detailed an incident on July 22, 2023, when an unidentified individual, posing as a customer care representative, visited his residence. This fraudster, under the pretext of upgrading Hamid's SIM card, manipulated his mobile phone. Subsequently, Hamid's SIM card became inactive, and a substantial amount of Rs 1.5 lakhs was illicitly withdrawn from his bank account through an unknown UPI transaction.

Unbeknownst to Hamid, the perpetrator had deactivated his SIM card and initiated SIM portation. This allowed the criminal to obtain a new SIM card in Nagaon's Kampur using Hamid's old number, thereby activating the UPI service for unauthorized transactions from the retired teacher's bank account.

In response to the FIR, the Patharkandi Police collaborated with the Karimganj Police Cyber Cell to trace the fraudulent network. This investigation led them to locate the ported SIM card, ultimately uncovering the residence of Jamal Uddin, a native of Simlai Pathar village in Nagaon district.

A meticulously planned operation, carried out in coordination between Karimganj Police and Nagaon Police, resulted in a startling discovery at Jamal Uddin's house. Law enforcement recovered 44 ATM cards from various banks, four Aadhaar cards, passbooks from 24 different banks, Rs 54,700 in cash, a fingerprint scanning machine, numerous passport photographs, xerox copies of land records, and 52 VI packets with no SIM cards, among other valuable documents.

These arrests raise suspicions that Nazmin Sultana and Jamal Uddin may be part of a larger criminal syndicate engaged in organized cybercrimes across the state. The hope now lies in uncovering potential additional accomplices involved in these fraudulent activities and dismantling the network responsible for these deceptive schemes.