In a major revelation, at least three people were arrested by the Odisha Special Task Force (STF) for allegedly procuring SIM cards with fake names and sharing their OTPs with Pakistani intelligence operatives.
Speaking to the media, STF IG J N Pankaj said that the one-time passwords (OTPs) were used to create fake accounts on social media for pursuing anti-India activities. The accused were selling the OTPs (linked/generated using the SIMs) to various clients, including some Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIO)/ ISI agents in Pakistan as well as in India.
In return, they used to get payment from Pakistani agents based in India, Pankaj told reporters. The accused were allegedly in touch with a woman PIO agent who was arrested in Rajasthan last year.
The OTPs were used to create various accounts on social media like Whatsapp, Facebook, and Instagram, and also for opening email accounts.
SIM cards were used to sign up for social media accounts
These social media platforms were used in anti-India activities like spying, communication with terrorists, radicalisation, running anti-India propaganda, fuelling anti-India sentiments on social media, honey-trapping, and other anti-social activities, Pankaj said.
People found such social media platforms trustworthy as they were registered with Indian mobile numbers, the STF official said.
The accounts opened on online shopping platforms were also used to supply items to terrorists and anti-India elements, he said.
ITI teacher including two others arrested
The accused were identified as Pathanisamant Lenka (35) of Badapandusar in Nayagarh district, Saroj Kumar Nayak (26), an ITI teacher from Dasapalla area in Nayagarh district and Soumya Pattanaik (19) from Sujanpur area in Jajpur district.
The STF personnel nabbed them on Friday during a raid following a tip-off.
Nineteen mobile phones, pre-activated SIM cards, ATM cards, and a laptop were seized from their possession, Pankaj said.
An SDJM court in Bhubaneswar on Saturday remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days.
(With inputs from PTI)
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