Three held in Gurugram’s Nuh for selling stolen phones to cyber fraudsters

The suspects not only committed cyber fraud themselves but also supplied stolen mobile phones to other cybercriminals, said the police

Updated on: Oct 2, 2023, 06:20:03 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Three people were arrested in Nuh on Saturday for providing stolen mobile phones to cyber criminals and engaging in fraudulent activities using fake SIM cards and bank accounts, police officers aware of the matter said on Sunday, adding that they recovered 36 stolen mobile phones and eight SIM cards from the suspects.

The suspects were identified as Sarfaraz Khan, Aaqib Khan, and Tarif Mohammad, all residents of Jakhopur village of Nuh, said police.

Narender Bijarniya, superintendent of police, said that the police team discovered evidence indicating that these suspects not only committed cyber fraud themselves but also supplied stolen mobile phones to other cybercriminals to commit fraud and dupe people across the country. “The suspects would sell stolen or snatched mobile phones to gangs involved in cyber fraud cases in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan,” he said.

Sandeep Mor, in charge of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA), Punhana, said they received a tip about the suspects while patrolling near the Punhana bus stand on Saturday. “Our information indicated that the three suspects were present at Jurhera crossing, looking for potential buyers of mobile phones. We conducted a raid, resulting in the arrest of all three suspects. Sarfaraz Khan was arrested with seven mobile phones and three SIM cards. Aaqib had eleven mobile phones and three SIM cards in his possession, and Tarif had eighteen mobile phones and two SIM cards,” he said.

The suspects would buy stolen and snatched mobile phones from places in Rajasthan, such as Jurhera, Kama, and Bharatpur at low prices. “They would sell these phones to cyber criminals at inflated prices, who would then use them to commit online fraud. Aaqib and Sarfaraz were also involved in online cyber fraud, creating fake social media accounts using stolen phones and SIM cards,” he said.

The police discovered Facebook and WhatsApp accounts under assumed identities on the suspects’ mobile phones. The mobile phones’ images gallery included photos of vehicles, Google Pay, Instagram, and OLX apps. Photos of soldiers, PAN cards, Aadhar cards from other people, vehicles, QR scanners, and Natraj pencils were also found in the phones’ galleries.

The suspects were produced before a court on Saturday and were sent to 14 days in judicial custody, said officers.

Bijarniya said they have recovered additional information about other gang members and will inform police teams from other states.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More