Military Intelligence foils ISI plot using Hyderabad call scam

Hyderabad: The Military Intelligence has foiled a major plot by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to extract sensitive information from security personnel posted at Jammu and Kashmir through a Hyderabad-based suspect.

The Hyderabad police apprehended the man from Nallakunta on Friday and found him running an illegal VoIP (voice over internet protocol) exchange that rerouted international calls into local calls and masked the callers’ numbers. This was reportedly being used by the ISI.

The suspect was identified as Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Nallakunta. The police recovered a large number of SIM cards procured illegally and other devices used to run the VoIP exchange.

Earlier this month, a report pertaining to suspicious illegal VoIP exchanges being run in Hyderabad was shared by a Military Intelligence unit located in Jammu & Kashmir with the Telangana state police.

“The illegal VoIP was being used by Pakistan’s ISI. It was reported that the facilities were being exploited by Intelligence operatives from Pakistan for making calls to security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir to acquire sensitive information from them while posing as senior officials,” an official said. The illegal exchanges enabled callers from other countries to call any Indian number by hiding their identity or by displaying an Indian number to the receivers. These calls made using VoIP technology travel over the Internet, land in an illegal exchange and get converted into regular telecom calls.

For this, the exchanges use a modem-like device called SIM Box and illegally procured SIM cards. The calls travel on telecom medium and land on the desired Indian number as a legitimate telecom call from another Indian number. During subsequent raids at Nallakunta, the police seized two SIM-boxes, more than 53 SIM cards which were procured illegally, laptops, desktops and other peripherals used to run the VoIP.

“Investigation is still under progress and more arrests and raids may take place. It is believed that these facilities pose a formidable security concern as they provide an illegal and surreptitious alternative to make international calls to India,” said the officials.

The Hyderabad police confirmed the arrest of Dileep Kumar, who used to run an internet café on Shivam Road earlier. After shutting it down, he started the VoIP exchange, causing a loss to the department of telecom. Dileep was earning six to 10 paise per unit for rerouting international calls to domestic users.

The Hyderabad police who registered a case against Dileep is probing whether he has links with any terror outfit or persons working for the outfits. 

Officials said they did not receive any concrete data about links of Dileep with the terror outfits, but were looking into all angles as the matter involved national security.