A LARGE number of pre-activated SIMs, registered biometrically with duplicate fingerprints and National Identity Cards, are slowly flooding the market for open sale, reported an English daily on Friday. All these pre-activated SIMs are on sale at high prices after the deadline for biometric re-registration and authentication expired on May 31. The surreptitiously re-registered SIMs are found in parts of the capital as well as in district towns and it is invariably going to put in failure the government policy to deny criminals access to mobile SIMs registered in third party’s name. It must be immediately investigated.
Although every finger impression is supposed to register only one new SIM it appears that some dishonest retailers may have surreptitiously registered a new SIM against every single fingerprint of a customer. Such active SIMs are now found on sale in the market and it means that some retailers have somehow registered it through illegal methods.
The fake practice came to the light after 21 people, including three Airtel staffs were arrested on Tuesday linked to sale of seven thousand pre-activated Airtel SIMs. Under the bio-metric re-registration process, 11.7 crore SIMs were re-registered, but according to operators’ sources seven to eight crore SIM users are active. So, it seems that re-registration of more than 3 crore SIMs were duplicated. Dishonest retailers are now selling these so-called active SIMs and some others are buying them to avoid “complication” of re-registration. But what appears dangerous is that criminals may also take hold of such bio-metric SIMs and carry out crimes knowing that fingerprint holders will only be in trouble, they will remain out of reach. In fact the entire purpose of bio-metric registration may fail if such malpractice continues.
There was a controversy when bio-metric re-registration process was introduced about safety of fingerprint holders that a third person may use it to make him victim. But Supreme Court cleared the way on assurance that no such fear will come true. But the presence of newly bio-metric registered SIMs in the market shows that criminals and other vested interest quarters are at work to put the enter biometric SIM re-registration scheme to failure. There is no denying of the fact mobile operators must be held accountable for such malpractice. We also demand that every step must be taken immediately to protect safety of fingerprint holders. It may prove dangerous to public safety at the end.
Although every finger impression is supposed to register only one new SIM it appears that some dishonest retailers may have surreptitiously registered a new SIM against every single fingerprint of a customer. Such active SIMs are now found on sale in the market and it means that some retailers have somehow registered it through illegal methods.
The fake practice came to the light after 21 people, including three Airtel staffs were arrested on Tuesday linked to sale of seven thousand pre-activated Airtel SIMs. Under the bio-metric re-registration process, 11.7 crore SIMs were re-registered, but according to operators’ sources seven to eight crore SIM users are active. So, it seems that re-registration of more than 3 crore SIMs were duplicated. Dishonest retailers are now selling these so-called active SIMs and some others are buying them to avoid “complication” of re-registration. But what appears dangerous is that criminals may also take hold of such bio-metric SIMs and carry out crimes knowing that fingerprint holders will only be in trouble, they will remain out of reach. In fact the entire purpose of bio-metric registration may fail if such malpractice continues.
There was a controversy when bio-metric re-registration process was introduced about safety of fingerprint holders that a third person may use it to make him victim. But Supreme Court cleared the way on assurance that no such fear will come true. But the presence of newly bio-metric registered SIMs in the market shows that criminals and other vested interest quarters are at work to put the enter biometric SIM re-registration scheme to failure. There is no denying of the fact mobile operators must be held accountable for such malpractice. We also demand that every step must be taken immediately to protect safety of fingerprint holders. It may prove dangerous to public safety at the end.
