7 arrested for selling SIM cards on fake IDs in Delhi

An inter-state gang selling SIM cards on fake identification was busted by the Delhi Police and seven people were arrested, an officer said on Friday.

Mohammad Shakeel (21), Rachit (23), Ramji Patel (21) from Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh along with Vishal (23), Prince Hinduja (25), Pankaj (23) and Manish Daima (22), all residents of Delhi were arrested by the northwest district police, they said.

The accused have sold more than 1,500 SIM cards in the last six months, the police said.

According to the officer, while probing a criminal case, it was found that the suspect's mobile number was registered in the name of a person residing in Kannuaj.

The man was questioned and it was found that the SIM card was indeed issued on the ID but he was not using it.

During further investigation, police traced down one Shakeel who used to work as a distributor with a leading telecom firm and had issued the alleged SIM card.

Shakeel was interrogated and a mobile handset was recovered from his possession in which he had used the same SIM card in January.

He used to get multiple SIM cards issued on the same set of documents after duping the customers who visited for purchasing new connections, police said.

On his instance, six others were arrested, police said.

During interrogation, it was disclosed that the accused had procured the SIM cards from Uttar Pradesh, Vijayanta Arya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest), said.

They generally procured 200-250 SIM cards in a month and would supply them in Delhi and other cities to criminals and persons running call centres for illegal activities, the DCP said.

A total of 203 SIM cards, 11 mobile phones and a laptop were recovered from their possession, they added.