ISI Plot to Target Army Foiled, Illegal Phone Exchange Busted in Hyderabad

NEW DELHI: Based on inputs provided by a military intelligence unit in J&K, the Telangana Police have unearthed an illegal internet telephony exchange in Hyderabad that was allegedly being used by Pakistan-based ISI sleuths to target Indian defence personnel.

A key player of the syndicate has been arrested and police have recovered large number of illegally procured SIM-box devices and SIM cards, among other things.

The investigation is still under way and more arrests are likely to be made.

“Earlier this month, a unit of MI had shared intelligence pertaining to suspicious illegal VoIP exchanges being run in Hyderabad. It came to the fore that the facility was being exploited by intelligence operatives from Pakistan to make calls to security personnel in J&K and obtain sensitive information by posing as senior officials of the Army,” a senior Telangana Police officer said.

Based on the inputs, Telangana Police detected several illegal SIM cards being used in a certain locality and zeroed in on the prime suspect.

The cops raided the premises in Nallakunta today and recovered two SIM boxes, over 53 illegally procured SIM cards, laptops and computers

According to police, the illegal exchanges enabled callers from other countries to call any Indian number by hiding their identity or displaying an Indian number to the receivers.

The calls, made using VoIP technology, would land in such illegal exchanges and get converted into regular telecom calls. This is done using a modem-like device called SIM box and illegally procured SIM cards.

Source:ToI