India’s mule SIM trade: UP Police arrest man for selling SIMs activated with stolen biometrics

SITAPUR: Police in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested a man accused of activating SIM cards in other people’s names through biometric fraud and selling them on, the Uttar Pradesh Police said on 4 October 2026.

Biswan police recovered 25 SIM cards, five mobile phones and a two-wheeler.

Police said the accused misused a point-of-sale (PoS) agent ID and customers’ biometrics to issue connections in other people’s names.

How the mule SIMs were made

Sources say the accused, Ankit Rathore of Hardoi district, captured people’s thumbprints and iris scans and used them to activate extra SIMs without their knowledge.

He then sold the SIMs at a premium, travelling across districts to find buyers.

He was caught during a night patrol near the railway colony after trying to flee.

Why mule SIMs matter

A mule SIM is registered to one person but used by another.

Because the number traces back to an innocent subscriber, it hides the real user, making such SIMs useful for fraud calls, OTP theft and running mule bank accounts.

Sitapur police have uncovered several similar cases, including a gang that misused the Aadhaar and biometrics of 65 to 70 villagers to open SIMs and bank accounts.

DoT advisory

The Department of Telecommunications warned on 21 September 2026 that fraudulent SIM issuance and renting or “muling” of SIMs are offences under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, punishable by up to three years in jail and fines of up to ₹50 lakh, and that the original subscriber can be held liable if a SIM in their name is misused.

It urges citizens to check all numbers issued in their name on the Sanchar Saathi portal and block any they do not recognise.