BHUBANESWAR: In a major development, the special task force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch arrested one more person involved in the sale of pre-activated SIM card and one-time password (OTP) racket with links to the autorickshaw blast at Mangaluru in 2022.
The 31-year-old accused Pritam Kar of Jajpur district’s Bhurunga village is said to have provided a pre-activated SIM card and debit card to the terrorists who had carried out a blast in a moving auto-rickshaw on November 19 last year.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had taken over the probe into the blast that injured two, including the prime suspect. The Islamic Resistance Council (IRC), a little-known outfit, had reportedly claimed responsibility for the blast, saying one of its Mujahid brothers Mohammed Shariq attempted to attack a temple in Kadri.
Shariq was travelling in the auto-rickshaw with a pressure cooker bomb fitted with detonator, wires and batteries when it exploded. He had established links with Syria-based Islamic State (IS) militants through messaging app from whom he learnt how to make a bomb. He was booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
“Initial investigation suggests Kar had handed over the pre-activated SIM card and a debit card to an agent working for Pakistan. The agent then provided the same SIM card and debit card to the terrorist involved in Mangaluru blast,” said an STF officer.NIA had reportedly already questioned Kar in connection with the case, said sources. It is believed that STF was tipped off by the central agency about him.
STF sources said, Kar was actively involved in providing SIMs and OTPs to Pak ISI agents operating in India. He personally met at least two ISI agents on multiple occasions at Ranchi, Patna and other places. During the meetings, he handed over pre-activated SIM cards to them. Investigators informed Kar studied till Class VIII but are very proficient when it comes to selling OTPs, mule bank accounts and digital wallets to anti-national elements and cyber frauds.
“He is a hawker and sells various items in his village. He entered into this illegal trade in 2017. So far, we have traced Rs 6 lakh in at least four bank accounts operated by him. A process will be initiated to freeze the money,” said the officer. STF has seized 16 mobile phones, a printer and one memory card from Kar. He was part of more than 10 WhatsApp groups.