📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Institution:Prime Minister's Office (India)
Crime
CBI Seizes 1,300 SIM Cards in Bihar, Arrests Airtel Distributor Over Fake e-KYC Scam
✍️ Amar Ujala · Bihar
🗓 12 Sep 2026, 09:33 PM
👁 36
The Central Bureau of Investigation raided ten shops in Bihar’s Vaishali district and Odisha’s Jagtashimpur, seizing over 1,300 SIM cards linked to a fake e‑KYC SIM‑box network and arresting a key Airtel distributor.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted a coordinated raid on ten retail outlets in Bihar’s Vaishali district and Odisha’s Jagtashimpur on Tuesday. The operation targeted an illegal SIM‑box network that used fake electronic Know Your Customer (e‑KYC) documents to issue bulk SIM cards.
During the raids, investigators seized more than 1,300 SIM cards that were allegedly distributed through the network. The seized inventory included a mix of prepaid and postpaid units, many of which were linked to suspicious accounts.
A key Airtel distributor, identified as the main facilitator of the scheme, was taken into custody. Authorities say the distributor played a pivotal role in supplying the SIM cards to the network operators.
The CBI’s action is part of a broader crackdown on telecom fraud, aiming to curb revenue losses for telecom operators and protect consumers from counterfeit SIM usage.
During the raids, investigators seized more than 1,300 SIM cards that were allegedly distributed through the network. The seized inventory included a mix of prepaid and postpaid units, many of which were linked to suspicious accounts.
A key Airtel distributor, identified as the main facilitator of the scheme, was taken into custody. Authorities say the distributor played a pivotal role in supplying the SIM cards to the network operators.
The CBI’s action is part of a broader crackdown on telecom fraud, aiming to curb revenue losses for telecom operators and protect consumers from counterfeit SIM usage.