When a Handloom Centre Turns Into a Cyber Fraud Hub: CID Arrests Five in Assam

GUWAHATI: The Cyber Police Station of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) in Assam achieved its first successful operation against cybercrime by arresting five suspects who ran a cyber fraud operation and an illegal SIM card business during police operations in Kamrup district last Saturday. 

According to officials, the operation was launched after they received credible intelligence about a group which procured SIM cards through illegal means while using personal documents to create mule bank accounts for financial fraud. Acting on the information, the CID opened suo motu case No. 01/2026 after receiving information about the incident and conducted multiple location raids on March 8. 

The investigators found that the accused were operating around 200 SIM cards obtained illegally in violation of telecom regulations. They suspect the operation was part of a larger interstate network involved in cyber fraud activities.

Police discovered extensive incriminating evidence during the raids which included KYC documents belonging to more than 1,000 individuals and 54 bank passbooks issued in different names and 10 blank cheque books and five unused debit cards and around 1,000 unissued SIM cards and nearly 500 SIM card covers.

The initial study discovered that some seized SIM cards had already been connected to cyber fraud incidents which took place in different states. Analysis of the SIM card usage patterns showed that these SIM cards might have been employed in SIMBOX operations which serve as a method for fraudsters to conduct international calls through local telecom systems while maintaining their anonymity to prevent being detected. 

According to the officials, the accused operated a handloom training centre which they used to disguise their criminal activities. They used training program advertisement as a scheme to obtain personal identification documents from women who applied for their programs. The officials claimed that the mule SIM cards were activated after using the documents to create mule bank accounts which function as a vehicle for criminals to transfer and launder money acquired through cyber fraud. 

The police arrested five individuals who include Moinul Hoque from Kalita Kuchi under Hajo Police Station and Moon Kalita and Kangakan Kalita from Sauramuri village under Kayan Police Station and Hirak Jyoti Kalita from Balisatra village under Kayan Police Station and Mostakim Ahmed from Dhuhi village who also resides in Kayan Police Station. 

It is to be noted that the police officials are now conducting their investigation to determine how much of the network operates while they seek to discover which victims lost their documents and which people used mule accounts and how these activities connect to cyber fraud cases from different regions of the country. 

Meanwhile, the Assam Police has requested citizens to stay alert and refrain from sharing their Aadhaar details and PAN information and bank information and photographs with people they do not know or with training and employment programs whose legitimacy has not been verified. 

The public has been instructed to contact the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or through the website cybercrime.gov.in whenever they detect any suspicious calls or messages or online activities.

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