Live
- Former Speaker Tammineni’s clout on the wane
- Attack on media: Take action against Mohan Babu, demand journalists
- More sports equipment promised at Central Park
- Mohan Babu’s attack on journalists inhumane act
- West Quay-6 of VPA to get revamped
- Rajaiah demands govt to introduce SC categorisation Bill in Assembly
- Make all arrangements for smooth conduct of Group-2 exams
- CP congratulates chess champs
- Stage set for children’s science exhibition
- ‘Generation Green’ initiative to drive e-waste awareness
Terror suspectstake advantage
Investigators who busted the IS terror module have expressed grave security concern arising out of the easy availability and activation of SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards without producing any mandatory identity proof in the city.
​Hyderabad: Investigators who busted the IS terror module have expressed grave security concern arising out of the easy availability and activation of SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards without producing any mandatory identity proof in the city.
They said preliminary investigations revealed that carelessness on the part of some SIM card retailers in the city dealing with pre-paid cards from certain telecom companies had come as a blessing in disguise for anti-social elements and terror suspects to spread their network without being detected.
Investigation by The Hans India and HMTV exposed the dark side of the pre-paid activated SIM cards in the city by a few retailers. Anyone who wishes to get a SIM card for his mobile can easily buy one without any identity proof from roadside vendors, who sell cards depending on the need of the customer.
They are charging between Rs 40 and Rs 50 for a prepaid SIM card and an activated prepaid SIM card could be easily obtained by paying Rs 100 to Rs 200 without any identity proof.
At some places, the SIM is available at a low price of Rs 10, owing to the tough competition between the service providers.
In places like Dilsukhnagar, Ameerpet and Koti, the vendors are ready to provide SIM cards on anyone’s ID. There is also option for a customer to submit the identity proof the next day.
“Take the SIM and you can submit the ID proof tomorrow,” says one of the vendors sitting in the shade of a big Umbrella at Mythrivanam in Ameerpet. After the Abhay Modani’s kidnap and murder in March this year, the police officials conducted raids for a week. After that it was business as usual for these SIM vendors.
NIA investigators found out during interrogation that the terror suspect Mohammed Ibrahim Yazdani and another accused Abdullah bin Ahmed Amoodi reportedly bought pre-activated SIMs from a promotional temporary stall near Charminar bus stop.
But the police officials are yet to act tough against these vendors. They have blamed the service providers for violating norms, as they have ignored the guidelines of Department of Telecommunication and TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India).
Additional Commissioner (Crime) Swathi Lakra assured that action would be initiated against vendors and service providers if they are found violating the norms. She acknowledged that there were instances that some service providers were violating norms.
“We have asked them to verify properly all proofs before activating the SIM cards. A directive has been issued to all the police stations to act against anyone one violating norms and ignoring verification of antecedents of customer,” she said.
By: Md Nizamuddin
