A suspected cyber fraud operation allegedly running from a call centre in Dehradun has been uncovered by the Special Task Force and Cyber Crime Police. Two people were arrested after authorities raided a premises on GMS Road following information shared by the Department of Telecommunications.
The investigation has also brought an alleged illegal SIM-box setup and the activities of dozens of call-centre workers under scrutiny.
Joint Operation Leads to Two Arrests
The raid was carried out at an office of Singh Asset Recon Services Private Limited near Kamla Palace on Friday.
According to investigators, the premises was allegedly being used to make suspicious outbound calls to customers of several banks. Lakshman Prasad, a resident of Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh, and regional manager Jagmohan Singh Rawat of New Delhi were arrested during the operation.
A case has subsequently been registered at the Cyber Police Station, while investigators continue to examine the operation's technical and financial aspects.
32-Slot SIM Box Found at the Premises
One of the significant findings during the search was a working 32-slot SIM box.
Investigators suspect the equipment was being used to route calls through mobile SIM cards rather than conventional commercial calling channels. Such an arrangement can make it more difficult to establish the actual origin of large volumes of outbound calls.
Police seized electronic equipment, digital records and other documents from the premises. Technical teams are examining the system to determine the source of the SIM cards, the calling pattern and the number of people who may have been contacted.
The examination could also help investigators establish whether the setup was connected to a wider network operating across different locations.
Bank Customers Allegedly Targeted Through Deceptive Calls
According to police, people associated with the operation allegedly contacted customers of banks including State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Axis Bank.
The callers reportedly introduced conversations around subjects such as credit-card benefits, pending payments or account-related matters. Investigators allege that some conversations later became threatening or abusive, with callers attempting to pressure customers into sharing confidential banking information or making payments.
Police are now examining call records and financial transactions to establish how many customers were approached and whether money was actually transferred as a result of the alleged operation.
39 Employees Under Investigation
The call centre reportedly had around 39 employees, many of whom were allegedly working on a commission-based arrangement.
Investigators are examining the responsibilities of individual workers and the instructions or scripts they were allegedly given for making calls.
Another important question is how customer information and telephone databases allegedly reached the premises. Authorities are examining digital records and other material recovered during the raid to determine whether confidential customer data was obtained or shared unlawfully.
Investigation Expands to Possible Interstate Links
The arrested individuals are being questioned as investigators try to establish the complete structure of the alleged operation.
Authorities are expected to examine digital records, call data, financial transactions and other evidence to identify additional participants, if any, and determine whether the Dehradun premises was connected to a larger interstate network.
Tracing the movement of money and identifying financial relationships between the people or entities involved could form an important part of the probe. Such examination is generally relevant to a Financial Investigation when authorities need to reconstruct transaction trails and identify potential beneficiaries.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the allegations against the accused and other individuals will be subject to the findings of the authorities and the legal process.