India's Uttarakhand STF uncovers illegal SIM-box telecom gateway; one arrested
Uttarakhand STF says it dismantled an illegal SIM-box telecom gateway in Bazpur, Udham Singh Nagar, arrested a 24-year-old man and seized two 32-slot SIM boxes, 77 antennas, 114 Airtel SIM cards, a router, phone and other equipment. Investigators allege foreign/VoIP calls were converted into Indian local calls to conceal identities, with links to Bangladesh-based cybercriminals under investigation.
STF uncovers illegal SIM-box telecom gateway in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) says its Cyber Kumaon Unit has, for the first time in the state, uncovered an illegal telecom gateway operated through SIM boxes.
The operation took place in Bazpur, Udham Singh Nagar, where foreign and internet-based (VoIP) calls were allegedly converted into Indian local mobile calls to conceal the caller’s identity and location.
Arrest and location
Acting on intelligence, the STF Cyber Kumaon team raided a house near Eidgah in Mudiya, Bazpur.
The team arrested Qadir, son of Jabir Ali, aged about 24, a resident of Milak Jummewali, village Berkheda Chak, Bhagatpur police station area, Moradabad district, Uttar Pradesh.
A first information report (FIR) has been registered against him under relevant legal provisions, and further legal action is under way.
Seizures
- Two SIM boxes with 32 slots
- 77 SIM-box antennas
- 114 Airtel SIM cards
- One Airtel internet router
- One Samsung A35 mobile phone with SIM
- LAN/USB cables and connectors
- Two AC adapters and two power cables
- One fibre wire and one media converter
- One extension board and other telecom equipment
How the alleged gateway worked
According to the report, the SIM-box setup converted foreign and VoIP calls into Indian local mobile calls.
The recipients phone would therefore display an Indian number instead of a foreign number, helping hide the caller’s actual identity and location.
SIM cards obtained by misusing different people’s identity documents were allegedly used in the gateway.
Cybercrime links under investigation
During preliminary questioning, the STF said it found indications that Qadir was in contact with cybercriminals in Bangladesh and received financial benefits through them.
He reportedly said the gateway had been operating for about seven months.
The investigation is examining the wider cyber network, foreign contacts, bank accounts and other associates.
The STF said SIM boxes can be used to display foreign or VoIP calls as Indian local numbers, obscure a caller’s identity and location, deploy SIMs issued on forged or other people’s documents, and facilitate digital-arrest scams, impersonation of officials and other cyber offences.
Such illegal exchanges can also cause revenue losses to the government and telecom companies.
Prior criminal cases cited by STF
The report says the accused had previously been in contact with cybercriminals and was arrested in 2023 by Katghar police in Moradabad in another case involving an illegal SIM-box telecom gateway.
He is currently out on bail.
The cited history is:
- FIR No. 250/2023, under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 4, 20, 21 and 25 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, Katghar police station, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh.
- FIR No. 541/2023, under Sections 2/3 of the Gangsters Act, Katghar police station, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Official position
The action was described as part of the STF’s “Operation Hot Spot against cybercrime and cybercriminals, being carried out under the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s cybercrime-free Uttarakhand initiative and the direction of Uttarakhand Director General of Police Dipam Seth.
The STF SSP said modern cyber-forensic and technical resources are being used against criminals attempting to hide their identities through SIM-box technology.
The role of agents supplying SIMs on forged documents and of other people connected with the network is also being examined.
STF team
The team named in the report comprised Inspectors Arun Kumar and M.P. Singh; Sub-Inspectors Shankar Singh Rawat, Ashok Kandpal and Prakash Bhagat; Additional Sub-Inspector Satyendra Gangola; Head Constables Govind Singh and Mohit Verma; Head Constable Manoj Kumar; and Constables Muhammad Usman, Praveen Agri and Gurwant Singh.
Source: Uttarakhand Dakiya / Uttarakhand STF report, published 22 September 2026. The current FIR provisions were not specified in the source report.