KOCHI: Probe into the functioning of illegal telephone exchange has revealed that the accused manipulated the telecom service of a major private telephone company to run the telephone exchange converting international calls into local calls by making use of call rooting with local calling line identity.
Opposing the anticipatory bail pleas of the accused Sharafali N (30) and Shamnad (29) of Kondotty before session court, police submitted that the accused registered a company in the name 'Techbia' for illegal activity and a telecom connection of a major telecom service provider was misused.
"The accused entered into a criminal conspiracy to gain unjust enrichment and to cause unlawful loss to the above service provider and also the licensing authority by converting international calls as local calls by making use of call rooting with local calling line identity," the report said.
Dismissing the bail pleas of the accused, additional sessions judge G Girish observed "the offence involved in this case is of hi-tech nature and accordingly, a unique case of cheating and fraud". "The accused had made use of their technical knowhow to defraud a service provider, apart from duping the licensing authority," the judge said.
Police raided a building at Thrikkakara in February and an apartment at Marine Drive to unearth the functioning of an illegal telephone exchange. Police seized digital devices and other electronic gadgets as the parallel exchange was catering to the telephonic requirements of a large number of non-resident Keralites by converting international calls to local calls.