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The Karol Bagh Unit of Delhi police have busted a large-scale illegal mobile phone manufacturing and IMEI-tampering unit operating secretly from a building in Beedanpura. The action, carried out under Operation "CyberHawk", led to the arrest of five individuals and the seizure of 1,826 mobile phones, along with large quantities of electronic equipment used for unlawful assembly and device alteration.
For the past 15 days, Karol Bagh Police Station had intensified surveillance to curb rising illegal mobile phone activities in the area. During this period, officials received specific intelligence about a clandestine unit functioning on the 4th floor of a building in Gali No. 22, Beedanpura, where mobile phones were being assembled using old motherboards and new body parts imported from China. The tip-off also indicated the active use of specialised software to change IMEI numbers before the altered devices were sold in local markets. Acting swiftly, a police team conducted a raid on November 20 at Aditya Electronics & Accessories. Five men were found at the spot engaged in assembling phones and altering IMEI numbers using a laptop and IMEI-writing tools. All five were immediately detained. The accused were identified as Ashok Kumar (45), the alleged owner of the unit; Ramnarayan (36); Dharmender Kumar (35); Deepanshu (25); and Deepak (19). During interrogation, they reportedly confessed to purchasing old mobile phones from scrap dealers and refurbishing them with new components. They admitted to running the illegal operation for nearly two years, selling the modified devices through multiple market channels. The raid resulted in the seizure of a laptop used for IMEI manipulation, IMEI-writing software (WRITEIMEI 2.0), an IMEI-scanning device, thousands of mobile phone bodies, printed IMEI labels, and tools used for device assembly. A case has been registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the IT Act, and the Telecom Act. Police are now investigating the supply chain, the sources of the motherboards, the distribution networks, and the potential buyers involved in the racket. Authorities have termed the operation a significant step toward curbing illegal telecom manipulation and protecting digital security in the capital. Further investigation into the source of motherboards, the supply chain, the distribution network, and potential buyers/receivers is underway. (ANI)
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