Berhampur: Police Saturday arrested four persons including two computer engineers here in Ganjam district on charge of illegally operating SIM Boxes, which are being used by gangsters to divert the ISD/STD calls by using fake SIMs.
The police nabbed the four persons based on the inputs of the Crime Branch of Mumbai which was probing into a case involving demand of `2 crore ransom from a Mumbai based businessman. The ransom was allegedly demanded by one Suresh Pujari, based in Hongkong, the police said.
The accused persons arrested were identified as T Laxmi Narayan Sharoff, 31, of Chhatrapur in Ganjam district, identified as the main organiser of the racket, Pradeep Kumar Choudhary (27) of Patapur, the organiser, Suresh Kumar Satapathy (30) of Kharavela Nagara, Berhampur (SIM supplier and Suresh Kumar Sahu, 32 of Berhampur, who regulate and operate the fake SIMs.
Police also seized at least five China-made SIM Boxes, several fake SIM cards and Identity proofs from their possessions.
They were jointly operating like a mini telephone exchange named S World – an outlet at Utkal Ashram Road here, said Berhampur Sadar sub-divisional police officer Ashok Kumar Mohanty. The outlet was seized and further investigation was launched.
‘‘We have also investigated about their links with the gangster Chhota Rajan, as one of his associate Suresh Pujari used the SIM Box of S World, Berhampur and demanded a ransom of `2 crore from a real-estate businessman in Mumbai’’, said the SDPO.
He said Mumbai police had registered a case in this regard and they were in contact with Berhampur police. ‘‘The Mumbai police will come here soon for further investigation of the case,’’ he added.
During preliminary investigation, police came to know that the SIM boxes were procured from China through an agent from Hyderabad.
Some other companies based at New Delhi and Ahmedabad were suspected to be involved in the racket.
The SIM boxes and other gadgets which were seized will be sent to the forensics lab and the reports may divulge some names involved in making these calls, police added.
The SIM Box, mostly designed by some Chinese firms, can accommodate 16, 32, 64 and more than different kinds of SIMs in series and reducing call rates. It is like a mini telephone exchange, which is not authorised by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI),
police said.
PNN & Agencies
