Tata cries over Taj in Mumbai, supplies SIM cards to LeT in Kashmir

In violation of national security guidelines, Telcos provide services to militants

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Jun 4: Even after suffering huge loss in the 26/11 terror strikes in Mumbai, which caused massive damage to Hotel Taj, India’s top business group, Tata, has been found involved in providing SIM cards of mobile phones to top commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba in Kashmir. A number of Tata Indicom SIM cards are among scores seized by Jammu & Kashmir Police. SIM cards seized by Police have been issued in brazen violation of national security guidelines besides fresh guidelines issued to the service providers by the union Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Telecommunication (DOT) of the union Ministry of Telecommunication.

Authoritative sources revealed to Early Times that even after receiving fresh guidelines for strict adherence with regards to identification of the subscribers in the wake of imposition---and later revocation---of ban on the wireless services in Jammu & Kashmir, at least five private service providers have issued “hundreds of SIM cards” to the cadres, commanders and overground activists of militant outfits in Kashmir valley. Those involved in brazen violation of guidelines and the criminal activity, that could lead to cancellation of licenses by Government of India, include Tata Indicom---a subsidiary of Tata group, otherwise famous for its meticulously drafted code of ethics.

According to case FIR NO: 13/2010 under section 13 of Unlawful Activities Act, 120-B RPC and 212 RPC, dated 6-4-2010, registered with Police Station Sogam in Kupwara district, Police have arrested three “OGWs”, namely Owes Ahmed Wani alias Rangrez S/o Ghulam Mohammad Wani R/o Litter Shister Pulwama, presently living at Chatpora Pulwama, Owais Ahmed Bhat S/o Bashir Ahmed Bhat R/o Court Road, Pulwama and Munir Ahmed Magray S/o Ghulam Mohammad Magray R/o Drusoo, Pulwama, in Sogam area of Lolab valley, and seized from them a consignment of 18 SIM cards. All of the seized SIM cards have been found to have been issued fraudulently and 16 of them even activated.

Tata Indicom’s CDMA (prepaid) under series: A0000011628BB3(800B IF25) has been activated on mobile phone number 9205106400. Mobile phone numbers of the SIM cards issued under series: A000001162505A(80587110 and A00000116241BF(80587110) are being searched by Police. Other private service providers, who have issued SIM cards to Pakistani militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba, in Kashmir valley in the last two months include Aircel, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications and Idea Cellular.

Sources said that more than 500 of such SIM cards are believed to have been issued fraudulently by the officials holding senior and junior positions in the private telecommunication companies in Kashmir valley after the Government of India withdrew ban on operation of prepaid voice and non-voice services in J&K on January 21, 2010. Under a serious threat perception to the national security, Government of India had imposed blanket ban on the operation of all pre-paid wireless services in J&K on November 1, 2009. It was later revoked under tremendous public pressure as 38 Lakh subscribers were affected for the fault of service providers themselves. However, MHA and DOT of the union Ministry of Telecommunication had issued fresh guidelines, seeking strict adherence from the licensees so as to prevent misuse of the services by anti-national and subversive elements.

Reached over telephone for his comments, SP Kupwara, Mohammad Yusuf Mir, confirmed that the consignment of 18 SIM cards was being supplied to dreaded Pakistani commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba, including the top wanted Abdullah Yoni, who carries a reward of Rs 20 Lakh on her head for his involvement in a large number of killings, blasts and other terrorist acts. Yoni is said to be hiding and operating from Lolab area of Kupwara. SP Kupwara said that the SIM cards were being forwarded to Yoni through his trusted Pakistani lieutenant, Furqan. He said that all three of the “LeT OGWs” of Pulwama were intercepted and arrested on a specific information and entire consignment of 18 SIM cards was seized. According to him, investigation was underway but the detainees had been released on bail by a judicial magistrate in Kupwara.

SP Kupwara said that according to the Police sources, whose information led to the seizure in Sogam, supplying SIM cards to militants, mostly Pakistani commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba, was a “well organized and well-knit network, involving even senior functionaries of Tata Indicom and other private companies operating in Kashmir circle”. He said that officials of these companies had been conveniently ignoring communications from Police, asking them to provide forms in original and other particulars of the allottee subscribers. “We have been asking them to provide us the hard copies as mandatory for them under law but they have been telling us that the records had been sent by e-mail. Even the e-mail carries very scant details”, he said and asserted that even the senior officials of the cellphone companies, found involved in the high category criminal activity, could be arrested and subjected to prosecution in near future.

According to SP Kupwara, Owais Ahmed Wani of Pulwama, revealed during sustained interrogation that another consignment of 30 SIM cards had been provided to the LeT militants through him.

Heads of Telecom Enforcement Resource & Monitoring (TERM) of Tata Indicom and Idea Cellular as well as their J&K COOs, who are now directly under scanner, did not respond to phone calls.

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