Chandigarh, May 25 (IANS) To curb the menace of issuing SIM cards on fake identities, a major security threat, the Punjab Police have got blocked over 1.8 lakh SIM cards activated using fake identities and forged documents, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Thursday.
In one case 500 SIM cards have been issued with the same photograph but in different names by forging documents.
The Internal Security Wing in association with the Department of Telecom had begun a crackdown against distributors and agents selling SIM cards on fake identities.
Yadav said: "Action is being initiated against point of sales distributors, agents and other persons involved in issuing SIM cards on fake IDs."
The police have arrested 17 people, who were found involved in the sale of SIM cards on fake documents, besides registering 52 FIRs in the last three days.
Special DGP (Internal Security) R.N. Dhoke said that he had held multiple meetings with the Department of Telecom and telecom service providers. Subsequent to that action was taken.
He said Inspector General of Police (Counter Intelligence) Rakesh Agrawal has been made the nodal officer and a drive is on to further identify the SIM cards issued on fake IDs.
The special DGP also warned retailers of strict action for failing to comply with the Know Your Customer (KYC) norms, a lapse that resulted in the activation of thousands of SIM cards fraudulently.
"Special teams of the Counter Intelligence Wing have been coordinating with the district police to zero in on SIM card retailers, who activated different mobile phone numbers with the same proof of identity," he said, adding that they are also taking up the matter with the telecom authorities to blacklist such agents.
Around 3,000 Indians have been evacuated safely from Sudan so far, who are being brought to India via Jeddah. Intense fighting between Sudan's army and paramilitary forces has been going on since April 14, which has led to the killing of more than 500 people there.
Addressing the gathering after dedicating a plant of JSW Steel Coating Products Ltd, the Chief Minister said the plant has been constructed at a cost of Rs 247 crore and will provide employment to 600 youth.
A team of CID Crime Branch Jaipur was keeping an eye on these smugglers for about two months. On receiving a tip-off, a team was sent to Ganganagar, Bikaner and Hanumangarh for intelligence collection.
According to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's annual report, the number of students from China and India made Asia the most popular continent of origin.
Goldy Brar, a member of the Bishnoi gang, has been named in the 1,850-page police charge sheet filed in a Mansa court on August 26 last year. It said Moosewala's killing was carried out in retaliation for the youth Akali leader Middukhera's murder.
On April 13, the victim had come from Palwal to a farmhouse in Lakhuwas village in Sohna with his friends, where around a dozen people surrounded him and beat him with hammers and iron rods.
