The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Monday, 21 September issued a public advisory warning citizens that misuse of SIM cards, telecom identifiers, and tampering with International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers are punishable offences under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, carrying imprisonment of up to three years and financial penalties of up to ₹50 lakh. The advisory follows the busting of a fraudulent SIM issuance racket in Chhattisgarh, where mobile connections were activated using citizens' identity documents without their knowledge or consent.

The Chhattisgarh Racket: What Was Uncovered

Cybercrime investigations revealed that a Point of Sale (PoS) agent in Chhattisgarh had illegally activated 25 mobile connections using identity documents belonging to unsuspecting citizens. The Ministry of Communications stated: 'Recent cybercrime investigations have brought to light some instances in which a Point of Sale (PoS) agent in Chhattisgarh was found to have illegally activated 25 mobile connections (SIMs) using citizens' identification documents without their knowledge or consent.'

Acting swiftly, the DoT, in coordination with telecom service providers, blacklisted the PoS agent, permanently barring the outlet from issuing any mobile connections in the future.

How the Digital Intelligence Platform Intervened

The 25 mobile numbers linked to the fraudulent activations were subsequently flagged and examined through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), a surveillance and detection system developed by the DoT to identify suspicious telecom activity. Connections identified as potentially fraudulent were put through a re-verification process; those that failed were deactivated. The swift use of the DIP underscores the platform's growing role as a frontline tool in combating telecom-enabled crime.

What the Law Says: Penalties Under Telecom Act, 2023

The DoT reiterated that three categories of offences attract the most serious penalties under the Telecommunications Act, 2023: fraudulent issuance of SIM cards, misuse of telecom identifiers, and tampering with IMEI numbers. Convicted individuals face up to three years' imprisonment along with fines extending to ₹50 lakh. This legislative framework, which came into force relatively recently, represents a significant tightening of India's telecom regulatory regime compared to the older Indian Telegraph Act it partly replaced.

Why This Matters: Cybercrime and Telecom Misuse

This advisory comes amid escalating concerns over the misuse of telecom resources in cybercrime, digital fraud, impersonation scams, and other unlawful activities. Fraudulently obtained SIM cards are frequently used as tools in financial scams — enabling criminals to bypass two-factor authentication, operate fake bank accounts, and run phishing operations under the identity of unsuspecting victims. Notably, this is not an isolated incident; law enforcement agencies across several states have flagged similar PoS-level fraud in recent months.

With mobile connectivity and digital services expanding rapidly across India, authorities have stressed the urgency of strict compliance with telecom regulations to safeguard citizens and preserve the integrity of national communication networks. Citizens are being urged to regularly check the number of SIM cards registered against their identity documents through the DoT's Sanchar Saathi portal.

What Citizens Should Do

The DoT has encouraged the public to report suspicious telecom activity and verify that no unauthorised SIM cards have been registered in their names. Telecom service providers have also been directed to strengthen their PoS agent oversight mechanisms to prevent recurrence of such fraud. Going forward, more such crackdowns are expected as the DoT scales up the Digital Intelligence Platform nationwide.