SRINAGAR: The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) on Thursday said it had produced a chargesheet against a terrorist associate (Airtel franchisee) for issuing a ‘SIM card connection’ to active terrorists.
“Police Station CIK produced a chargesheet against one Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh, S/O Bashir Ahmad Sheikh, R/O Hanand Chawalgam, Kulgam, vendor of Airtel company, before the Hon’ble Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Kulgam in case FIR No. 18/2020 U/S 420, 468, 471 IPC of Police Station CIK Srinagar for issuing a ‘SIM card connection’ against a non-existent person which was actually used by a terrorist,” a spokesman said.
Police Station CIK had received information through reliable sources that the procurement of SIM card connections from various telecom service providers by terrorists, members of proscribed organisations, and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) was made in a pre-planned criminal conspiracy, with the active connivance of their sympathisers and, in several instances, with the complicity of ‘Franchise/Point of Sale (POS)’ through fraudulent and dishonest means, the statement reads.
Accordingly, police said that on 09.10.2020, a case under FIR number 18/2020 U/S 13 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, read with sections 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, was registered at Police Station CIK Srinagar for a thorough probe.
“During the course of investigation, it was revealed that the accused was a vendor of Airtel Telecom Service, running his shop under the name and style of ‘MICRO WORLD’ at Kulgam. It was established that the accused had manipulated and forged a genuine electoral identity card and used the same to issue a SIM card against a non-existent person. The accused as a vendor had also mentioned fictitious and deficient particulars/details in the Customer Application Form (CAF) with the objective to issue the SIM card against a non-existent person and pass it on to a terrorist for his use,” the statement reads.
The investigation established that the subscriber of the SIM card shown in the Customer Application Form did not exist on the ground and that the SIM card had actually been issued to a terrorist, it added.
“An appeal is made to the general public, especially youth of Kashmir Valley, to adhere to the advisories in this regard and take every precaution to ensure that their documents are not misused for obtaining SIM cards fraudulently. People are also advised not to share their SIM cards with anyone, no matter how close the person may be,” the statement added. (KNO)
