CBI Cracks Down on Sophisticated VOIP Scam in Bihar

The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the probe into an illegal VOIP operation in Bihar's Narayanpur village. Mastermind Mukesh Kumar was converting internet calls into voice calls for cybercriminal purposes. The scam, linked to possible terror-related activities, was initially cracked by Bihar Police.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has assumed control of an investigation into an alleged illegal phone exchange operating from Narayanpur village in Bihar. The operation, reportedly led by Mukesh Kumar, converted VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) calls into standard voice calls, facilitating various cybercrimes, according to officials.

The probe agency has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Kumar and two others, Rejaul Haque and Muktadir Hossain from Malda, who allegedly supplied 67 suspicious SIM cards used in the rogue exchange. The Bihar Police uncovered the illicit operation in July last year, prompting the state government to transfer the case to the CBI.

The CBI's involvement follows a notification from the central government. Bihar Police's Digital Intelligence Unit had identified a complex SIM box setup used to mask international calls as local calls, enabling the circumvention of high international charges and facilitating scams. These activities possibly aided terror groups abroad in maintaining contact with sleeper cells and anti-national elements domestically, as alleged by police.

(With inputs from agencies.)