DoT Warns SIM Misuse Can Invite 3-Year Jail and Rs 50 Lakh Fine Under Telecommunications Act 2023

Key facts

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) warned that fraudulent SIM issuance, misuse of telecom identifiers and tampering with IMEI numbers are serious offences under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, punishable with up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.
• A Point of Sale (PoS) agent in Chhattisgarh was found to have illegally activated 25 SIM cards using citizens' identity documents without their knowledge or consent; the agent was blacklisted in coordination with telecom service providers.
• The 25 mobile numbers were examined through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP); connections failing re-verification were deactivated.
• DoT urged citizens to use the Sanchar Saathi platform, as highlighted in its public advisory issued on September 21, 2026.