Tampering with IMEI may attract prison term

To curb the use of stolen mobile phones, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is planning to notify rules that will make tampering of IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) number a punishable offence with up to three years imprisonment.

The proposed rules are being framed under Section 7 and Section 25 of the Indian Telegraph Act. Section 7 gives DoT power to frame rules for conduct of telecom or telegraph services and Section 25 deals with damaging of telegraph line, machines and related equipment.

“The DoT held discussions with all stakeholders, including mobile makers, and rules will be notified soon,” a DoT official told DH.

The 15-digit IMEI number helps security agencies in tracking mobile phones as well as calls made from them. However, due to diverse software in the market, changing the IMEI number of stolen handsets for reuse is
rampant.

While tracking a stolen mobile phone, the Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM) cell of DoT found there were around 18,000 handsets using the same IMEI number, said the official.