The police and various intelligence wings have started inquiry into the suspicious use of a banned imported satellite phone which was recently found in the hands of a fishing boat owner from Beypore. Though the man claimed that he had secured it from one of his friends in Oman for using it during emergency situations when mobile phones and radio sets do not work, the squads decided to proceed with further investigations to rule out any security concerns.
According to police sources, he was asked to report at the Mangaluru coastal police station with the device for thorough verification. The details of three persons, including a Tamil Nadu native, who were contacted using the handset were collected for further cross-checking, they said.
The investigation teams took the incident seriously as the Union government had already banned the use or possession of Thuraya-made iridium satellite phones in the country under Section 6 of the Indian Wireless Act and Section 20 of the Indian Telegraph Act. Travellers had also been advised not to carry such satellite phones as the holders could be prosecuted.
A functionary of the Kerala Boat Owners Association said the investigation against the Beypore native who was earlier working in Oman was just part of a security check and they did not having any reason to doubt his intentions. “He had already communicated the details of purchase and the calls made as part of cooperating with the legal proceedings. These types of phones are not banned in many other countries and easily available online,” he added.
In the wake of the incident, checking has been intensified to confirm that no other boat owners or fishermen have similar sets for communication. Police sources said surveillance had been strengthened in the area mainly because such satellite devices, with robust connectivity via the iridium network, were previously used by extremist elements to facilitate discreet communications.
