THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A satellite phone was confiscated from a house in Vizhinjam on Saturday night, kicking off a multi-agency investigation involving the anti-terrorist squad, intelligence bureau and military intelligence.
The banned phone was seized from the house of Vinod, 33, at Mukkola GRS Bhavan.
“The team tracked the phone after being tipped off by military intelligence. The phone was located by tracing its coordinates. The origin and purpose of the phone are being investigated. No illegal activities are currently suspected. A case has been registered under the Telecommunications Act,” said DCP Vijay Bharath Reddy.
According to officials, Vinod received the phone, valued at Rs 48,000, from his relative, Prajeesh, who is abroad, during the latter’s recent visit to Kerala.
Vinod claimed that he purchased the device to relay information on deep-sea schools of fish to fishermen onshore, a service that often earns good commission.
While traditional mobile networks fail in remote maritime zones, satellite phones offer uninterrupted connectivity. However, their use is prohibited under Indian telecom regulations.
The possession or operation of such devices constitutes a non-bailable offence and carries heavy penalties.
The seized phone has been sent for forensic analysis to determine its usage history and potential implications.
“The use of satellite phones is banned in India, hence intelligence agencies were able to spot the real-time location data. The matter was immediately flagged to military intelligence,” a police officer said.
Intelligence agenciesi have launched a detailed probe. Officials are investigating if the phone was used beyond its claimed fishing-related activities, and aim to verify if the device had any links to unauthorised or sensitive communication. Vizhinjam police confirmed that a detailed investigation is ongoing.