OTP sharing to Pak operatives: Odisha STF nabs 1 more who provided SIM card used in Mangalore auto blast

The Special Task Force (STF) arrested one more person in connection with the major racket involving sharing of OTPs to Pakistan based intelligence operatives. The accused, Pritam Kar (31) was arrested from Jajpur district on Saturday. With this, the total number of arrests made in the case has now increased to five.

Moreover, the findings have revealed that Pritam Kar had provided SIM card and debit card which was used by the accused involved in the last year’s Mangalore auto blast (terror act).

As per STF officials, Kar along with his associates was involved in sharing OTP, mule accounts to cyber criminals including Pakistani intelligence operatives and ISI agents since 2017.

Major Findings

The accused Pritam Kar was in direct touch with at least two Pakistani intelligence operatives and ISI agents. He had allegedly met them physically multiple times in other states.

The accused had allegedly received Rs 1.5 lakh for selling OTP, mule accounts and digital wallets. The accused had sold thousands of pre-activated SIM cards, OTPs till date. He used to charge Rs 1000 per SIM and Rs 30,000 per mule accounts/ digital wallet.

The accused Pritam Kar and his associates used to make WhatsApp voice calls to several foreign numbers. He was also the admin of a WhatsApp group ‘All Saving Ac Available’ with 113 members and other groups.

In May, the STF had arrested three persons on the charges of selling and sharing OTP with some criminals and anti-national elements. The accused have been identified as Pathanisamant Lenka, Saroj Kumar Nayak, and Soumya Pattanaik. One of the accused is an ITI teacher, sources said.

On June 8, one more person was arrested in connection with the one-time passwords (OTP) sharing scam with Pakistani intelligence operatives.