Pakistani man telephoned BSNL office, asked for army’s call details

In a suspected case of spying on India’s military activities at the border by the Pakistani intelligence agency, a man introducing himself as an army officer telephoned the Jaisalmer BSNL office to obtain information on the army’s call details.

In a suspected case of spying on India’s military activities at the border by the Pakistani intelligence agency, a man introducing himself as an army officer telephoned the Jaisalmer BSNL office to obtain information on the army’s call details.

The Pakistani man was believed to have been spying on India’s military activities. (HT Photo)

According to sources, the caller first hacked a Delhi telephone number and then used that number to call the BSNL office, successfully gleaning the information.

The call, identified as originating in Pakistan, took place on an as-of-now unidentified date around three months ago, when the army was conducting an exercise in the Falsund area of Jaisalmer. The incident came to light after the intelligence wing tracked the call and informed BSNL authorities.

Yogesh Bhaskar, district telecom manager at the Jaisalmer BSNL office, confirmed the report. He said that when the incident occurred, his office had issued the army with a temporarily connection. The caller, who got in touch with Jaweri Lal, a clerk in the accounts section, identified himself as an army officer and complained about the bill on the temporary line. Lal, without ensuring the security aspect of the same, shared the call details.

This is not the first time a fake phone call from across the border was used to glean information. On June 18, 2014, a man introducing himself as an army officer called up Barmer’s deputy conservator of forests from a Pakistani number and attempted to extract information about forest land near army and air force establishments.