In a crackdown in opposition to the misuse of SIM playing cards by militants and their fraudulent sale by telecom distributors, the Jammu and Kashmir state investigation company (SIA) on Saturday carried out searches at 19 premises throughout the Valley, officers mentioned.

The searches got here within the face of the “ever-increasing misuse of SIM cards by terrorists”, their over floor staff (OGWs), narcotics smugglers and different criminals, they mentioned.

“The SIA in 11 different FIR cases carried out searches at 19 premises spread all over Kashmir,” the officers mentioned.

A majority of the premises belonged to the purpose of sale (POS) distributors who bought these SIM playing cards in violation of the telecom rules and in a way that quantities to forgery and dishonest, they mentioned.

The officers mentioned in three circumstances, preliminary proof “strongly indicated” that SIM playing cards have been procured to assist terrorists in sustaining their communication with their handlers throughout the border and different modules inside J&Okay.

The officers mentioned, a POS vendor in Chawalgam in Kulgam beneath the title Airtel Micro World created a SIM card in opposition to a non-existent fictitious particular person particularly Gowhar Ahmad Hajam and gave the cardboard to an individual in Qaimoh in Kulgam who turned out to be an OGW of terror outfit Ansar-Gazwat-ul-Hind.

In one other case, a POS vendor at Mir Mohalla Monghall of Anantnag created a SIM card for a subscriber who handed it over to an OGW of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit, the officers mentioned.

The homes of all of the three — the seller, the subscriber and the OGW — have been searched to search for extra proof, the officers mentioned.

In a 3rd occasion, 4 PoS distributors — one belonging to Konibal in Pampore, one other to Walina, Ichgam in Budgam, the third one to Barzullah in Srinagar and forth one to Lasjan — created SIMs within the title of actual individuals by stealing and lacking their id paperwork, the officers mentioned.

Subsequently, they mentioned, these POS distributors fraudulently gave the SIM playing cards to unauthorized individuals with out the data of the unique individuals.

Authorities have determined to take stringent measures in opposition to POS SIM card sellers who’re discovered to be stealing id paperwork of unsuspecting subscribers and creating SIM playing cards with out the data of authentic subscribers, the officers mentioned.

“Similarly, PoS SIM card sellers who’re discovered creating SIM playing cards on the idea of solid paperwork within the title of individuals who don’t exist in actual life can even be proceeded in opposition to by invoking probably the most stringent provisions of legislation. Action would even be taken in opposition to POS SIM card sellers and subscribers who receive SIM playing cards in extra of six playing cards which is the utmost variety of SIM playing cards an individual is allowed,” they said.

The officials “strongly” advised the telephone service providers to maintain proper database to prevent dishonest POS SIM card sellers and subscribers to cheat the system by not disclosing their already issued SIM cards obtained from other service providers at the time of applying for additional new cards.

The administration is also considering to make it an offense if a person willingly gives his or her SIM card to a person other than a family member for occasional and emergency use, they said.

The officials asked the POS SIM card sellers and individual subscribers to voluntarily come to the police station and surrender their excess SIM cards (more than six), “to escape criminal liability”.

“POS SIM card sellers who’ve issued SIM playing cards in numerous names utilizing the photograph of 1 particular person are additionally prone to be searched, and if discovered responsible are prone to be arrested apart from being black listed from all authorities advantages and contracts,” the officers mentioned .

Jamaat-e-Islami activist arrested in Jammu

J&Okay Police on Saturday arrested an individual having hyperlinks with Jamaat-e-Islami in reference to a 2007 case when Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s had visited Jammu.

The police additionally seized some incriminating materials pertaining to the Jamaat-e-Islami from the home of the accused, Mohammad Sharief Sartaj, who was presently residing in Khatikan Talab, mentioned a senior police officer.

On Friday, the police had performed raids at Jammu’s Gujjar Nagar and Dalpatian Mohalla and recovered a number of important paperwork and incriminating materials associated to Jamaat-e-Islami.