Indore: More shocking than surprising for the police, as many as 528 mobile phones with same International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) are running in Indore. Each mobile phone is supposed to have its unique IMEI number which remain the same even if the phone number is changed. Crime Branch has reached 62 phone owners with the same IMEI and seized their phones and informed the Police Headquarters in Bhopal and the Ministry of Home Affairs as well.
According to Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime), Amrendra Singh changing IMEI number or any manipulation in it is an offence under the Central government rule; ‘Prevention of Tampering of the Mobile Device Equipment Identification Number Rules 2017’.
“During investigation, we have found that 528 mobile phones were working on same IMEI after which we locate 62 such phones and seized them. We have been interrogating the phone owners and getting details from where they got the phones or where the IMEI numbers were changed,” Singh said.
The seized phones are worth around Rs 10 lakh.
Police have also dashed off a letter to the Minister of Home Affairs and contacting Central Equipment Identity Register to get all the phones out of network and usage.
However, those having these phones told the police that they had bought it second hand or many of them said that they found it on the road.
“Large number of mobile phones with same IMEI is dangerous as the phones may have been stolen, and their IMEI number had been deliberately changed after it was used in some crime. Investigation in the matter is on and we are interrogating the phone owners to get more details,” the ASP told media.
