Man held for forging forms, using fake stamps to sell SIM cards

The Dharavi police, on Friday, arrested a 35-year-old telecom company distributor for forging SIM card documents and issuing several SIM cards under one customer’s name.

The Dharavi police, on Friday, arrested a 35-year-old telecom company distributor for forging SIM card documents and issuing several SIM cards under one customer’s name.

HT Image

The police have seized 155 application forms, 17 photocopies of voter's identity cards, 55 passport-sized photographs and 10 fake rubber stamps after raiding his shop in Sion.

According to the police, the accused, identified as Suresh Nader, would prepare copies of the application forms of genuine current customers.

A preliminary probe revealed that he had been forging documents for over six months.

“Our sources tipped us off about Nader's malpractices, after which we conducted a discreet check on him. When the allegations were proven, our anti-terrorist cell raided Nader’s shop,” said Ashok Survegandh, senior inspector, Dharavi police.

Nader would issue duplicate SIM cards to people on the address and names of the current customers. He would also affix the stamp indicating that the telecom distributor had verified the number before allotting the SIM card to the new customer, said the police.

When police checked the addresses given in the forms, they learnt the residents had not applied for a new number.

Nader was booked for forgery under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The police produced Nader in a metropolitan court on Saturday, and he was remanded in police custody till May 21.