GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 564 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20TH DECEMBER, 2017/ AGRAHAYANA 29, 1939 SAKA) ILLEGAL PHONE EXCHANGES 564. SHRIMATI RENUKA CHOWDHURY: Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state: (a) whether Government is aware of illegal phone exchanges thriving on SIM boxes using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) for criminal activities; (b) if so, the number of such cases reported during last three years, State-wise; and (c) the steps taken by Government to strengthen human intelligence in order to bust such large scale criminal activities? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR) (a) to (b): Some instances of VoIP Exchanges thriving on SIM boxes using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) being operated illegally for criminal activities in various parts of the country, have been noticed. The number of such cases reported during last three years is attached as Annexure. (c) The steps taken by the Government in this regard are as follows: (i) Field units of the DoT analyse records provided by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) to identify suspected / grey calls which help in unearthing of illegal telephone exchanges. -2- R.S.US.Q.NO.564 FOR 20.12.2017 (ii) A toll free number 1800110420 or 1963 has been opened by all the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) for the purpose of reporting by customers which further helps in unearthing of illegal telephone exchanges. Periodically a SMS is being sent by the TSPs to all the customers. The content of a sample SMS is “while receiving international calls, if local or STD or no number is displayed on your phone, please inform on toll free number 1800110420 or 1963”. (iii) Meetings with Law Enforcement Agencies to build co-operation and carry joint operations to unearth such setups. ***** ANNEXURE S.no. Department of Telecommunications Number of cases reported during License Service Area (LSA) 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 Till Date 1. Assam Nil Nil Nil Nil 2. Andhra Pradesh Nil 4 11 Nil 3. Bihar Nil Nil Nil Nil 4. Delhi Nil Nil 3 Nil 5. Gujarat Nil Nil Nil Nil 6. Himachal Pradesh Nil Nil Nil Nil 7. Haryana Nil Nil Nil Nil 8. Jammu & Kashmir Nil Nil Nil Nil 9. Karnataka Nil 1 Nil Nil 10. Kerala Nil 5 1 2 11. Kolkata Nil Nil 2 Nil 12. Mumbai 2 Nil 1 Nil 13. Madhya Pradesh Nil Nil 1 Nil 14. Maharashtra Nil 2 Nil 2 15. North East Nil Nil Nil Nil 16. Odisha Nil Nil Nil 1 17. Punjab Nil Nil Nil Nil 18. Rajasthan Nil Nil Nil Nil 19. Tamil Nadu Nil Nil 1 Nil 20. Uttar Pradesh (East) 1 Nil 1 6 21. Uttar Pradesh (West) Nil Nil Nil Nil 22. West Bengal Nil Nil Nil Nil .