Pakistani Operatives Use Illegal Telephone Exchange For Spying In Bengaluru, Military Intelligence And CCB Bust Racket

Mubarak Ansari

Pune/Bengaluru, 21st June 2022: In a joint operation, Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru City Police and Military Intelligence Unit of Army’s Southern Command have busted an illegal telephone exchange racket which was being used to convert international phone calls into local calls. Officials said that Pakistani intelligence operative also used them for spying purposes.

Police have arrested one Sharafudeen (41), a resident of Moideen Koya, who hails from Chudel in Wayanad district of Kerala.

According to officials, the accused had illegally created telephone exchange in four locations by placing several mobile SIM cards into electronic devices, converting international phone calls into local calls, thus defrauding the telecommunication network, and disrupting the country’s security. This input came to light when Pakistani intelligence operatives used one of the SIMBOX to obtain information from a defence installation.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused used 58 electronic devices to install 2144 SIM cards in four locations of the Bhuvneshwari Nagar, Chikkasandra and Siddheshwar layout.

CCB officials have registered a case with the Bengaluru city cyber crime police station and are continuing their investigation.

The operation was conducted by officials from the CCB unit and Military Intelligence Southern Command unit in Bengaluru.