Police in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore have uncovered an alleged cyber fraud network of SIM card buying, selling and transfer, in which 151 suspicious mobile numbers were linked to 212 financial fraud complaints registered in different states and cities.
The investigation has unearthed a chain of SIM cards that was obtained in the names of registered subscribers and transferred to other people for money to be used for cyber fraud.
The case arose during the verification of suspicious data from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre received by police. Investigators found 151 SIM cards associated with 49 point-of-sale holders and SIM-selling agents in the Indore urban area. The numbers were linked to financial fraud complaints filed in different parts of the country, so police investigated how the SIM cards were issued, transferred and finally used.
As part of the investigation, police traced one of the suspicious numbers to a SIM issued by Rohit Dalve, 27, of Swarnbag Colony. During questioning, Dalve told investigators that he had issued the SIM on March 15, 2026 after completing the necessary documentation and verification process. But the SIM was registered in the name of Rajesh Chaudhary, 42, of Indore.
How the SIM Card Allegedly Changed Hands
Investigators questioned Chaudhary as they traced the suspicious number. Chaudhary had acquired the SIM by using his Aadhaar card but later handed it over to Bhagwandas alias Nana for ₹200.
Police also allege that Bhagwandas later passed the SIM to Himanshu Junwal for financial gain and received ₹500. Junwal then gave the same number to Ashish Sharma who investigators suspect used the SIM in cyber fraud activities.
The alleged chain shows that a mobile number can move through many people and remain officially registered in the name of the original subscriber. Such transfers can create difficulties for law enforcement because the person whose name appears in subscriber records may not necessarily be the person who was using the SIM at the time a crime occurred.
Police are now investigating the roles in which each person in the chain played, and are investigating the circumstances of the SIM being used.
Clothing and franchise offers used in alleged fraud
The investigation revealed that the suspicious number was used to approach potential victims with offers involving wholesale clothing. People were contacted with offers to purchase jeans and pants at wholesale prices, investigators said.
The accused collected money from customers but did not provide promised products. Potential victims were also alleged to be offered franchises for wholesale clothing businesses and required to pay for such franchises.
One complaint that was part of the investigation was made by Anil Kumar Gupta, a resident of Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh. Gupta was allegedly approached with an offer for a franchise connected to a wholesale jeans and pants business.
The complainant said he was asked to pay ₹30,000 for the proposed franchise and subsequently paid ₹10,000. Not only the promised franchise, but also the goods that he expected were not provided. Gupta filed a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal on May 27, 2026.
Rajesh Chaudhary arrested, three others sought
According to the complaint and information gathered during the investigation, MIG Police registered a case and began further action.
Rajesh Chaudhary has been arrested in connection with the case, while Bhagwandas alias Nana, Himanshu Junwal and Ashish Sharma are still absconding, sources said. Police are working to locate the three and establish their alleged connections to the wider network.
Investigators are investigating whether the individuals were working together or whether the SIM transfers were part of a larger arrangement involving multiple people. Police are also looking into the involvement of point-of-sale holders and SIM-selling agents connected with 151 suspicious numbers.
Police probe possible wider cyber fraud network
The discovery of 151 SIM cards linked to 212 financial fraud complaints has led to speculation that there is an even bigger system at work in the background. The numbers were controlled by one group or were distributed among various cybercrime operators.
And we can also expect to get an idea of how SIM cards are being acquired and transferred before they’re used for fraud. Tracking the movement of the numbers might help police identify more suspects and whether there were similar methods in other complaints.
In this case, responsible ownership of the SIM is critical. Mobile connections registered in an individual's name are expected to be in the hands of that person. Handing over or selling a SIM card to another person can lead to severe problems if the number is then linked to illegal behavior.
Consumers should therefore avoid giving other people the mobile connections in their names, especially for money. Businesses and authorised SIM retailers are also required to comply with customer verification and documentation requirements when issuing mobile connections.
The investigation is ongoing at this point. Police are looking at 151 suspicious SIM cards, 212 financial fraud complaints linked to them and the people who transferred and used them. Rajesh Chaudhary’s arrest is only the start of the investigation and investigators are still looking for the other suspects and whether the case is a part of a larger cyber fraud network. The allegations against the accused are under investigation and legal process.
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