Mumbai Crime: Three held for use of satellite phones

The Mumbai police recently arrested three people in separate incidents for using satellite phones which are banned in India. All were released later on bail.

In the first case, Yellow Gate police arrested two people last week. Vishal Singh, 28, who has a scrap business, had bought a ship and hired Ashish Prajapati, 34, a captain, to bring it from Dubai to Mumbai.

Ashish started with the ship on June 13 from Dubai. Sources revealed that on June 19 and 20, Ashish contacted Vishal through satellite phone. Intelligence agencies intercepted the calls and found Thuraya satellite phones were used. They were used by terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

A police officer said, "A central intelligence agency informed the Indian Coast Guard which spotted the ship and detained its crew."

Ashish confessed that he used a satellite phone and when Vishal told him it is banned, destroyed it and threw it in the sea. Police arrested them under Sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code and various sections of the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act.

On July 5 the Sahar police had arrested a 37-year-old Nigerian national at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) for possession of a satellite phone. The man was flying back home after spending several months in Noida. Sahar police booked Echi under the Wireless Telegraphy Act.

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