Beware of SIM Card Black Marketers
Mystery enquiries land several in lock-up:
Imphal, Feb 2: Several persons have been picked up by the state police in the past few days after suspicious phone calls from a mobile number issued in Manipur were found to have been made to a neighbouring state making detailed enquiries concerning the movements of a prominent VVIP.
According to SP, CID (special branch), the calls were found to have been made from an AIRCEL number bought on the black market through one person said to have links with an underground group.
The original subscriber along with the end user and at least one person through whose hands the SIM card had passed have been taken into custody.
On January 30, information was received from the intelligence wing of a neighbouring state police force that there had been suspicious calls from an Aircel number in Manipur making repeated enquiries about detailed programme of a visit of a prominent VVIP to that state.
An investigation was launched, and the recorded subscriber, Laishram Premjit of Thinungei Mayai Leikai was picked up.
However, it transpired that he had already sold off the SIM card and was unaware of the identity of the current user.
It also turned out that he had been procuring a large number of Aircel Sim cards through one Laishram Kishan, alias Ngouba of Ningthoukhong Awang Leikai and sold on the black market.
In the present instance, altogether 13 Aircel SIM cards, including the one identified by the neighbouring state police, were found to be have been sold to one Haobijam Prem alias Korounganba of Keibul Lamjao Chingyai Leikai who had been arrested earlier for having links with the proscribed KYKL.
The statement said that as Prem could not be found, police had a tough time trying to trace the real user of the suspect number.
However, through persistent efforts, with the cooperation of various
other agencies and use of modern technology, the suspect number was found being used by one Haobijam Pakpa of Chingmei Awang Leikai, Bishnupur district, who has since been arrested.
It was also revealed that he had purchased the same from one Haobijam Sarat Singh, of Keibul Takmu Leikai, who had obtained it from Haobijam Prem.
Investigation also turned up another mobile phone which was issued in the name of a person belonging to another state, the statement said.
All of the persons named, except for the absconding Prem, have been taken into custody and investigation is continuing, said the release.
The statement further noted that use of mobile by persons other than the recorded subscriber has become a common practice in Manipur, and warned that subscribers are liable to criminal prosecution for misuse of their SIM cards for criminal activities by the end user, even if they have no knowledge about the same.
Subscribers should take due care not to sell their SIM cards, nor purchase SIM cards from unknown sources or the black market to avoid facing criminal prosecution, the statement said.
Source: The Imphal Free Prees
Another Story:
Imphal, Feb 2: Several persons have been picked up by the state police in the past few days after suspicious phone calls from a mobile number issued in Manipur were found to have been made to a neighbouring state making detailed enquiries concerning the movements of a prominent VVIP.
According to SP, CID (special branch), the calls were found to have been made from an AIRCEL number bought on the black market through one person said to have links with an underground group.
The original subscriber along with the end user and at least one person through whose hands the SIM card had passed have been taken into custody.
On January 30, information was received from the intelligence wing of a neighbouring state police force that there had been suspicious calls from an Aircel number in Manipur making repeated enquiries about detailed programme of a visit of a prominent VVIP to that state.
An investigation was launched, and the recorded subscriber, Laishram Premjit of Thinungei Mayai Leikai was picked up.
However, it transpired that he had already sold off the SIM card and was unaware of the identity of the current user.
It also turned out that he had been procuring a large number of Aircel Sim cards through one Laishram Kishan, alias Ngouba of Ningthoukhong Awang Leikai and sold on the black market.
In the present instance, altogether 13 Aircel SIM cards, including the one identified by the neighbouring state police, were found to be have been sold to one Haobijam Prem alias Korounganba of Keibul Lamjao Chingyai Leikai who had been arrested earlier for having links with the proscribed KYKL.
The statement said that as Prem could not be found, police had a tough time trying to trace the real user of the suspect number.
However, through persistent efforts, with the cooperation of various
other agencies and use of modern technology, the suspect number was found being used by one Haobijam Pakpa of Chingmei Awang Leikai, Bishnupur district, who has since been arrested.
It was also revealed that he had purchased the same from one Haobijam Sarat Singh, of Keibul Takmu Leikai, who had obtained it from Haobijam Prem.
Investigation also turned up another mobile phone which was issued in the name of a person belonging to another state, the statement said.
All of the persons named, except for the absconding Prem, have been taken into custody and investigation is continuing, said the release.
The statement further noted that use of mobile by persons other than the recorded subscriber has become a common practice in Manipur, and warned that subscribers are liable to criminal prosecution for misuse of their SIM cards for criminal activities by the end user, even if they have no knowledge about the same.
Subscribers should take due care not to sell their SIM cards, nor purchase SIM cards from unknown sources or the black market to avoid facing criminal prosecution, the statement said.
Source: The Imphal Free Prees
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