Accused allegedly generated hundreds of India-based e-SIMs to help scammers impersonate police and defraud victims; the racket surfaced during the probe into a complaint by 74-year-old Lalbaug resident
Representation pic/istock
The Kalachowkie police have uncovered a major e-SIM supply network in Maharashtra linked to cybercrime syndicates in Cambodia. The police arrested Rahul Bagul, 33, from Jalgaon for allegedly generating and supplying over 400 India-based e-SIMs to operators involved in digital arrest and cyber-fraud scams.
Police said Bagul created multiple e-SIMs using local credentials and passed them to an associate in Cambodia. These were used to make untraceable VoIP calls, allowing scamsters to pose as police or enforcement officials.
Breakthrough in fraud case
The racket surfaced during the probe into a complaint by 74-year-old Lalbaug resident Vijaykumar Malakar, who lost Rs 9.70 lakh. On October 14 and 15, he received e-SIM-generated calls from men posing as the Nashik police, claiming his account had received Rs 2.5 crore linked to a terror group and threatening “digital arrest.” He transferred Rs 3.20 lakh on October 15 and Rs 6.50 lakh on October 17 to two Axis Bank accounts before realising he had been duped.
Second accused traced
Police said another Jalgaon-based person involved in the e-SIM chain has been identified and will be arrested soon. The 400-plus e-SIMs recovered are being examined for links to other cases in Maharashtra. Officials described the exposed supply network as a “significant leap” in understanding how digital arrest syndicates source local identities and operate from outside India.
Modus operandi
The police said Bagul used stolen Aadhaar copies, forged documents, and leaked KYC details to generate the e-SIMs. Many subscribers remain unaware that parallel e-SIM profiles linked to their numbers are active in Cambodia.
What is an e-SIM?
An e-SIM (embedded SIM) is a digital version of a physical SIM card. Instead of inserting a plastic card, the e-SIM is built into a device’s hardware and can be activated remotely.
What does an e-SIM do?
>>Enables mobile connectivity like a normal SIM
>>Built into the phone; cannot be removed
>>Activated via QR code, activation code, or telecom app after KYC
>>Stores multiple profiles, letting users switch numbers easily
Why cybercriminals prefer e-SIMs?
>>Activated digitally, not physically
>>Usable worldwide
>>Leave no physical trail
>>Can be generated in bulk using leaked or fake KYC details
Rs 9.7 lakh
Amount looted from senior citizen from Lalbaug
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
