Imphal: Manipur Police have arrested two individuals, including a teenager, from different locations in Thoubal district for allegedly selling duplicate Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards without complying with mandatory Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.
The arrests were made following specific intelligence inputs received by the Cyber Crime Police, which indicated that SIM cards were being openly sold without valid identity verification. Acting swiftly, police teams conducted coordinated raids across suspected locations in Thoubal district over the past 24 hours.
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According to police reports, the two accused knowingly sold SIM cards to several individuals, despite being aware that these unverified cards could be used for illegal purposes.
The accused have been identified as Laishram Rajesh Singh, also known as Tomba, aged 19, a resident of Khangabok Part-III Khunou Leikai. He was arrested at his residence under the jurisdiction of Thoubal Police Station.
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In a separate operation, another accused, Md Nawaz Khan alias Wash Khan, aged 27, was apprehended from a shop in Sangaiyumpham Cherapur Mayai Leikai Part-II, also in Thoubal district. Both individuals are believed to be part of a larger network involved in the unlawful sale of SIM cards.
During the raids, police seized several items from their possession, including four mobile handsets, two Aadhaar cards, and a side bag containing a notebook, forty-one new SIM cards, and a biometric fingerprint scanner used for KYC-related processes.
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The duo has been booked under multiple sections of the Information Technology Act, including Sections 66, 66C, 66D, and 43. Additionally, they face charges under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023, such as Sections 61(2), 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338, and 340(2).
Police officials have confirmed that further investigation is underway to identify other individuals who may be linked to this illegal operation and to determine the extent to which these duplicate SIM cards have been distributed.
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