In a special drive, the Ludhiana police booked at least 17 shopkeepers for allegedly issuing SIM cards of various telecommunication service companies to people using fake identification proofs.
The accused used prints of the photo of one person on 15 to 20 forms but mentioned different names and addresses. The accused would verify the address themselves and sell the SIM cards among people.
The police suspected that such numbers could be used by miscreants and anti-social elements, who could misuse the connections.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP, investigation) Harmeet Singh Hundal said that the police received information that some of the shopkeepers have issued mobile phone connections using fake identification proofs.
The police had asked the telecommunications service companies, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Airtel, Vi and Reliance, to verify the identification proofs.
The DCP added that during the check, the companies found SIM cards issued using fake identification proofs by some shopkeepers. The companies filed complaints to the police to lodge FIRs.
The Division number 4 police booked owner of Aman Telecom at Trunk Bazar, Sahnewal police station booked owner of Azad telecom of Azad Nagar of Giaspura, owner of MS Harleen telecom at Dehlon Road, Sahnewal, owner of Deep TV centre at Makkar Colony of Giaspura, owner of Karan Telecom at Makkar Colony of Giaspura, owner of Chitra Telecom at Kanganwal and owner of Pal telecom of Kanganwal.
Division number 6 police have booked Amarjeet Singh, owner of Novel Telecom Miller Ganj, Santosh of Hargobind Nagar and owner of Harpal Telecom of Daba Market road.
{{/usCountry}}Division number 6 police have booked Amarjeet Singh, owner of Novel Telecom Miller Ganj, Santosh of Hargobind Nagar and owner of Harpal Telecom of Daba Market road.
{{/usCountry}}Shimlapuri police lodged three FIRs against owner of Raj Telecom at New Janta Nagar, owner of Jaspreet Telecom new Janta Nagar and owner of Sonu Telecom at Barota road.
Similarly, the Model Town police booked the owner of Mobile Gallery at Dr Ambedkar Nagar, Tibba Police booked the owner of Prachi Telecom at Gopal Nagar, Division number 5 police booked owner of Sehaj Mobile at Sham Nagar and Sarabha Nagar Police booked Ramanjit Singh of Barewal village.
The police lodged FIRs under sections 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc.), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged 1[document or electronic record) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. The DCP added that the police will trace the people who are using the numbers issued using fake identification proofs also.