Bhubaneswar: The location of another SIM Box set up has been found during interrogation of accused Raju Mondal. The Twin City Commissioner of Police, Sanjeeb Panda today informed Mondal, who is on a five-day remand, revealed he has established the third SIM Box set up in Jharkhand.

Panda said a special team of the Commissionerate Police will visit the neighbouring state to conduct searches with the help of local police. He did not disclose the location in Jharkhand where the third SIM Box set up has been installed.

The Commissioner of Police stated a total of 12 SIM Boxes have been seized in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack so far. As many as 481 active SIMs, 810 standby SIMs and six modem routers have also been seized. One more cyber team have been formed to assist in the probe, Panda informed.

Elaborating how Mondal, who hails from West Bengal, got into running SIM Box business, Panda said the accused used to travel by bus up to Banglaesh border. After crossing the border, Mondal had visited Tanagaon in Bangaldesh to buy goods as well sell items procured from West Bengal.

Subsequently Mondal came into contact with Asadur Zaman, a Bangladesh national, in Tanagaon. They became friends and decided to operate the SIM Box business. Zaman came to India on official Visa and set up the SIM boxes in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. He used transfer money to Mondal through ‘hawala’ channel.

Panda informed details of two Phonepe accounts of Mondal have been sought. The accused used to pay for the expenses including house rent and internet charges through these Phonepe accounts.

The Commissionerate of Police came to know about three bank accounts of Mondal and one account of his mother. Details of the bank accounts will be examined, Panda said.

The investigating team today visited the Lingaraj Hotel in Bhubaneswar where Zaman stayed during his visit and examined the visitors’ register. A police official on condition of anonymity said the CCTV footage of the Hotel will also be examined.

Following investigation it will be ascertained whether the SIM Boxes were being used for terror activities or cyber fraud.

A SIM Box is a device through which SMS messages and calls can be routed through a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system using multiple SIM cards from different mobile operators.

With the help of the SIM Box VoIP calls can be intercepted and routed through a SIM card to the mobile network, appearing as local calls. SMS messages can be sent through prepaid SIM cards in the box.