Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, in a written reply to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha today.

sub-section 42(3)(e) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, obtaining subscriber identity modules or other telecommunication identifiers through fraud, cheating or personation is an offence. 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Government has made necessary legal provisions under sub-section 42(3)(c) and sub-section 42(3)(f) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 making tampering with telecommunication identifiers and willfully possessing radio equipment knowing that it uses unauthorized or tampered telecommunication identifiers as offences.

In addition, Telecom Cyber Security Rules prohibit any person to intentionally remove, obliterate, change, or alter the unique telecommunication equipment identification number or intentionally use, produce, traffic .

Department of Telecommunications (DoT), through license conditions, has mandated that the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) ensure adequate verification of each and every customer before enrolling them as a subscriber.

DoT has developed a citizen centric Sanchar Saathi portal and App which, inter-alia, facilitates citizens to check genuineness of mobile handset through International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

DoT is promoting digital safety and preventing telecom-related fraud through widespread awareness campaigns under Sanchar Saathi initiative. Explainer videos and infographics regarding IMEI verification have been prepared and uploaded on the DoT’s social media platforms.