CBI drops plan to import interception equipment, to use domestic system

CBI has dropped its plan to import Lawful Interception Monitoring (LIM) equipment for tapping after a state-run telecom research and development centre offered its system to the probe agency.

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) gave a proposal for linking the CBI to the indigenously developed Central Monitoring System (CMS) by February 15.

CMS is a Rs 400-crore homegrown spying system through which any intelligence or police force that is a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) can track any mode of communication including landline, satellite phone and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP, also known as Internet telephony.

Telecom Secretary M F Farooqui asked C-DOT to expedite connecting CBI with the CMS facility by February 15 with Delhi's Licensed Service Areas (LSA), according to an internal note of the Department of Telecommunication(DoT).

The Secretary also directed that after this other LEAs could be connected with the CMS facility in Delhi, the DoT said.

CMS was a post-2008 Mumbai attack initiative taken by the Government to have access on real time basis of information on telephone calls, interception of satellite phones, reading Short Messaging Service (SMS) and Multi-media Messaging Services (MMS).

This facility can also locate the position of any mobile user and can also monitor posts made on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter using the smart phones. This technology was not available earlier to the Indian security agencies.