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.
Coming out in support of protesting wrestlers and saying the fight is for honour and dignity of every women, senior Congress leader Navjot Sidhu on Monday questioned that why accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Sharan Singh wasn't arrested despite a case was registered against him under the "non-bailable POCSO Act".
The police recovered the half-burnt torso of the victim from a room built in the fields of Kukdola village in Manesar area on April 21. Later, the police also found her hands and head.
The incident has raised serious questions on the safety of women and children traveling on the Delhi Metro. Taking cognizance of the video, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Friday issued a notice to the Delhi Police and Delhi Metro to take strict action.
The arrested have been identified as Onkar Singh, Sukhjinder Singh, and Prabhjot Singh of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. The police have seized at least nine passports, besides recovering several photocopies of passports of absconding gangsters prepared using fake particulars.
The judge also said that the purported medical condition of Sisodia's wife was not a reason to grant him bail in this case. Additionally, he stated that it was impossible to rule out the potential of Sisodia influencing key witnesses in the case.
The Delhi Police is also scheduled to file its reply to Vikas Walkar's (Shraddha's father) application seeking the release of his daughter's remains to perform last rites.Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad had, during the last hearing, said that the police will file a reply on the application on the next date of hearing.
