Large‑Scale SMS Fraud Investigation Leads to Asset Attachment in Punjab, Gujarat

The Enforcement Directorate’s Chandigarh office has moved to temporarily attach seven immovable assets worth an estimated Rs 1.5 crore, all linked to a former BSNL short‑message service centre senior executive and a network of co‑accused. The attachment is executed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money‑Laundering Act, 2002.

The investigation was launched after the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Chandigarh Anti‑Corruption Bureau filed an FIR naming Swarnjeet Singh, Dorsteps Solutions and several collaborators. Findings indicate that Singh, together with Sarab Tyagi, Marco James McCowan and Preeti Goyal, facilitated unauthorized entry into BSNL’s SMS infrastructure. This breach allowed bulk SMS traffic to be directed through a private DLT/TANLA platform, effectively bypassing the regulated billing and inter‑connect charge mechanisms.

Through this scheme, roughly 63.37 crore bulk push SMS messages were dispatched illegally, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 5.42 crore for BSNL, including a shortfall of Rs 4.05 crore in inter‑connection usage charges. The inquiry also highlighted that the involved firms, including Smart Technology and Dorsteps Solutions, offered these bulk SMS services at prices below market rates, thereby earning unlawful profits.

The seized holdings consist of agricultural land in SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab, and both residential and commercial properties located in Vadodara, Gujarat. After this latest action, the total value of properties under attachment has grown to about Rs 2.30 crore, up from the Rs 80 lakh seized on March 27, 2025.

Authorities have approximated the proceeds of crime at around Rs 6.47 crore and have indicated that the probe remains open, with further legal steps to be taken based on additional evidence uncovered during the investigation.