PANJIM: Director General of Police Muktesh Chander on Friday claimed that SIM cards are readily available to any individual just as onions and potatoes are available in the market. The police chief slammed cellular phone companies as well as their dealers for failing to effectively implement the Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, which ultimately help criminals.
“SIM cards are being sold like onions and potatoes. The KYC norms are being thrown to the wind. Cellular companies, dealers and agents had earlier been informed to effectively implement the KYC rule and ensure proper verification (of the new mobile subscriber) but we have observed that it is not being implemented,” he told the media after a meeting with the concerned agencies at police headquarters.
Chander also came down heavily on the make-shift SIM card selling kiosks, most of which do not adhere to the existing laws when selling the cards. “Criminals very easily obtain SIM cards by submitting forged details. They produce somebody else’s photograph, name and even signature to procure the SIM card, whereas representatives of telecom companies verify the details by just a phone call. There is a gross violation of the procedure,” he said, adding that a report against such companies has been submitted to the Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring (TERM) Cells for action.
With the police fearing that the misuse could extend to terror organisations and sleeper cells, Chander has warned the concerned, including users, of action if found violating norms. “It is very difficult to identify and trace the actual subscriber and possibly if they are working for any terror organisation or sleeper cells. The SIM card should not be meant for wrong use and we have asked the companies/dealers/agents to ensure the same,” he stated. Chander expects that bio-metric verification would curb the menace.
