Belthangady: Youths detained for acquiring large number of SIM cards

Team Udayavani, Feb 5, 2024, 8:59 AM IST

Dharmasthala police have apprehended four individuals and detained a minor, who were found in possession of 42 SIM cards. The group was on its way to Bengaluru after collecting the SIM cards under different family members’ names.

Four of the suspects, identified as Akbar Ali (24), Muhammad Mustafa (22), Rameez (20), and Muhammad Sadiq (27), have been taken into custody, while the fifth individual is a 17-year-old minor.

The Dharmasthala police received information on February 3 about five unidentified individuals purchasing an unusually high number of mobile SIM cards for business purposes. Acting swiftly, SI Anil Kumar and ASI Samuel M I intercepted the group at the Dharmasthala KSRTC bus station around 4 am on Sunday, February 4.

Upon inspection, the police discovered 42 mobile SIM cards in the possession of the suspects, leading to their immediate detention.

During preliminary inquiries, it was revealed that Akbar Ali, a BCom graduate working in Dubai, acquired the SIM cards from friends with the intention of activating UPI IDs for business transactions in Dubai. The suspects seem to have obtained the multiple SIM cards locally, using the names of their family members and relatives.

Notably, no evidence suggests the involvement of the accused in any organization or party, and there are no previous criminal records against them. The investigation is ongoing to determine if there was any malicious intent behind the acquisition of such a large number of SIM cards.

It has been disclosed that the accused provided the Aadhaar cards of ten family members to obtain the SIM cards. Two mobile shops facilitated the acquisition, providing 9 and 33 SIM cards, respectively.

A case has been registered at the Dharmasthala police station, and further investigations are underway.