Lucknow: A 40-year-old Kerala native accused of operating an illegal international call centre near the Indo-Nepal border using pre-activated Nepalese SIM cards has been remanded to five days’ custody of the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), with investigators intensifying their probe into his links with a China-based company and foreign handlers.The accused, Sameer Babu TP, a native of Malappuram district in Kerala, was arrested by the ATS on June 21 from Rupaidiha in Bahraich district after a case was registered under relevant legal provisions. During the remand, investigators are questioning him about his contacts in China, Vietnam and Dubai, while examining suspected cryptocurrency transactions, digital devices, financial records and foreign funding.
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According to the ATS, Sameer holds an MCom degree and a diploma in advanced computer applications. During questioning, he told investigators that he had completed several courses in computer networking in Kerala before shifting to Bahraich in 2024, where he stayed at a lodge near the Indo-Nepal border.The ATS said intelligence inputs indicated that some individuals were operating illegal call centres in districts along the Indo-Nepal border, posing a threat to India’s internal and external security. Verification led investigators to Sameer, who was found running an international communication setup from the lodge in Rupaidiha.Investigators said that Sameer established the facility in association with a China-based company, using large quantities of pre-activated Nepalese SIM cards to route international Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls and send bulk SMS messages through SIM-box devices. The ATS said incoming calls and text messages originating from China and other countries were routed through the system and delivered to consumers while bypassing authorised international telecom gateways.Officials said the accused received payments from foreign associates in the form of cryptocurrency. The ATS has identified suspected cryptocurrency transactions involving entities based in China, Dubai and Vietnam, and is scrutinising digital wallets, bank accounts, communication records and electronic devices to establish the financial trail and identify other members of the network.According to investigators, bypassing international telecom gateways allows foreign calls and SMS messages to reach users directly, making lawful interception and monitoring significantly more difficult.The agency is trying to identify the accused’s associates, examine his overseas communications, verify cryptocurrency conversions and trace the wider international network involved in operating the illegal cross-border communication system.
