Jharkhand Link Found in Odisha SIM Box Racket, Raids to Intensify

Bhubaneswar: Days after the Commissionerate Police dismantled two SIM box rackets in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, Twin City Police Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda disclosed significant new developments.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Panda revealed that the rackets extend beyond Odisha, with links to a third operation in Jharkhand. A Commissionerate Police team is set to visit Jharkhand soon to conduct further raids.

Panda stated that during raids in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, police seized 12 SIM boxes and a total of 481 SIM cards. Additionally, 810 extra standby SIM cards were recovered. Ongoing investigations include raids on hotels frequented by the main accused, Asadur Jaman, during his visits to Odisha.

The SIM boxes were used for making international and national calls without revealing the source, facilitating various criminal activities, including terrorism.

Panda added that the arrested accused, Raju Mandal from West Bengal, was managing the SIM box operations from rented houses in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Mandal’s responsibilities included maintaining UPS, internet, power and other essential services.

Mandal, who had connections in Bangladesh through Asadur, used the SIM boxes to bypass international calls to countries such as Pakistan, China and those in the Middle East.

In Cuttack, with assistance from Madhupatna police, a raid at a residential house, ‘Brundaban Bhawan,’ uncovered 5 active SIM boxes using 200 SIM cards. An additional 310 SIM cards, along with a router and modem, were also seized.