Chandigarh, October 3
Security and intelligence-gathering agencies in Punjab have discovered a major racket having wide ranging and serious ramifications for the security of the country.
In a series of developments in the past couple of weeks, it has been found that mobile phone SIM cards, procured illegally and on fake names, are being sold to users at a premium by unscrupulous retailers all along the sensitive Indo-Pak border. This allows the user to get a ready-to-use SIM card while his identity is concealed. In the records of the mobile telephone company, the name and address of another person is entered who does not even know that a SIM card has been issued in his name and that it could be misused.
What is disturbing the authorities is the identities of actual users. They could be spies, antinational elements or smugglers involved in drugs and arms running. The Punjab Police has decided to officially inform the Government of India and also supply all evidence of procured SIM cards and how the clandestine system was operating. The modus operandi came to light a couple of weeks ago following detection, of what is described in security parlance, as an “over active” use of a SIM card.
Acting on suspicion, the owner - as per the records of the mobile company -- was traced down as Chandan of Patti in Tarn Taran district. It was found and verified that Chandan had never applied for any SIM card but there were 35 pre-paid cards operating in his name. All these cards had been issued for the same address in Patti.
This actually set the ball rolling, said the sources. It was then investigated and found that this could be just a tip of the iceberg. Sleuths have found and actually purchased, as evidence, SIM cards of leading mobile companies without any hinderance,
said a well-placed source. The cards are available for a small premium of about Rs 500 per card. What is even more baffling is the sale of SIM cards of mobile telephone companies that do not even have their own networks in the state. These cards are used in “roaming” which proves to be technical handicap to seek call details.
The SIM cards of Haryana, Delhi and Mumbai-based cellular operators have been seized from towns near the Indo-Pak border. This means pre-paid mobile connections are being procured in other states and are being sold here. The premium for such cards is higher at about Rs 1,000 per card, said another officer.
The buyer need not fill any form, or provide proof of identity and no verification of address is carried out that is mandatory under the guidelines of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Department of Telecom. In reality the verification is done on the basis of identity cards gleaned by middle-men from unsuspecting people. It seems photocopies of I-cards are being gleaned away from
documentation provided by people for some other work. This photocopy is then used to take several connections and these are then sold.
