The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF), working with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has busted an illegal telecom gateway allegedly operated through SIM boxes in Udham Singh Nagar and arrested a 24-year-old man.
The accused, identified as Qadir from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested after the STF raided a house in the district. Officials seized 2 SIM boxes, 77 antennas, 114 Airtel SIM cards, an Airtel internet router, a Samsung A35 smartphone and other telecom equipment from the premises.
According to the STF, the setup was being used to route foreign and VoIP calls in a way that made them appear as local Indian mobile calls. This can allow recipients to see an Indian number instead of the actual foreign number from which a call originated.
Officials said SIM-box systems can be misused to hide a caller’s identity and location, operate SIM cards obtained through forged documents and support cybercrimes including digital arrest scams and impersonation of government officials.
During preliminary questioning, Qadir reportedly told investigators that he had been operating the gateway for around 7 months and was in contact with cybercriminals in Bangladesh. He allegedly received financial benefits through these contacts.
The STF also found that SIM cards linked to identities of different individuals were being used in the network.
Investigators said Qadir had previously been arrested in another case involving an illegal telecom gateway operated through SIM boxes. In 2023, police registered a case against him at Katghar police station in Moradabad under provisions related to cheating, forgery and the Indian Telegraph Act. A separate case was also registered under the Gangsters Act that year.
The STF is now investigating his foreign contacts, the wider cybercrime network, bank accounts and the possible involvement of other associates.
Authorities said illegal telecom gateways can also result in revenue losses for the government and telecom operators.
A FIR has been registered under relevant sections, and further investigation and legal action are underway.
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