The fact that the service providers had gone overboard in restoring the connections after the ban was lifted without bothering for the safeguards has led intelligence agencies pitching for a rethink on the matter.
Alarmed by the rampant misuse of prepaid cell-phone connections inside Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) jails by arrested terrorists to reach out to their Pakistan-based handlers, the Centre is mulling strong action.
The move comes less than a month since it withdrew a ban on pre-paid mobile connections in the state.
The fact that the service providers had gone overboard in restoring the connections after the ban was lifted without bothering for the safeguards has led intelligence agencies pitching for a rethink on the matter.
Home minister P Chidambaram was reportedly taken aback when he was given a feedback on the prepaid connections. Senior intelligence officers informed him that SIM cards were easily available without any verification as proposed by the home ministry.
In a shocking disclosure, Chidambaram was informed that just in 24 days since the ban was lifted on January 22, 2009, nearly 1.75 lakh prepaid connections were restored by the service providers without any verification. There were 38 lakh such connections in J&K before the ban.
What really irked the minister was that nothing objectionable was found even in a single case. “How was it possible?,” he asked while expressing surprise.
On their part, the security agencies expressed concern on the vulnerable situation created by the rampant misuse of prepaid connections. In many cases, they tapped conversations where Pakistani handlers of the terrorists were found giving them directions to strike at new targets.
A rather beleaguered chief minister Omar Abdullah, who had been
a strong votary of lifting the ban, was reportedly on the defensive when countered by the home minister. Sensing the mood, Abdullah tried to mollify the security forces by assuring the Centre to act sternly and ensure the verification process was carried out strictly.
The home ministry has reportedly sought full details from the state government on the verification drive being carried out by the service providers.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}