18 mobile phones, 13 SIM cards, blue-tooth devices among seizure
*Smart Phones, Social Media Apps used to pass directions
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 15: Intelligence agencies have busted one of the major networks being run by Pakistan and Kashmiri militants inside high security Kot Bhalwal Jail by seizing 18 mobile telephones, 13 SIM cards, blue-tooth devices, chargers, earphones, accessories etc from the barracks which were being used by the militants to stay in touch with their colleagues outside and carry out their activities.
Among the seizures were many Smart Phones having Social Media and all other Applications which were being accessed by the militants and other detenues to stay in touch with their associates.
“All 13 SIM cards seized by the Intelligence agencies during the operation were working and some of them belonged to Airtel, Jio and Vodaphone companies. Samsung and Redmi Smart Phones were among 13 mobile telephones seized from the barracks of jail,” official sources told the Excelsior. Click here to watch video
Joint teams of CID (Counter Intelligence), District Police and CRPF conducted raids in Kot Bhalwal jail this morning after obtaining search warrants from the NIA Court, they said, adding the Jail staff also cooperated in seizure of illegal goods including one knife from the jail premises but their involvement in smuggling of mobile telephones, SIM cards etc inside the jail can’t be ruled out and will form part of the investigations.
Significantly, according to sources, all mobile telephones and SIM cards seized from the jail premises were in working condition and had been kept by the militants and other prisoners at barracks to avoid direct seizure from their possession as they might have become aware about raids by the Intelligence agencies as soon as the searches began in the morning.
No official statement was issued either by the CID Counter Intelligence or Jammu Police on the raids and seizures made from Kot Bhalwal jail where top militants, both Pakistanis and Kashmiris, arrested during encounters and search operations are lodged apart from other dreaded criminals. However, details gathered by the Excelsior revealed that the search operations were based on hectic investigations conducted by the CID Counter Intelligence after initial seizure of eight mobile telephones from Kot Bhalwal jail.
“Data retrieved from the seized mobile phones gave the Intelligence agency very vital clues after which it obtained search warrant from the NIA Court and launched full-fledged operation with the help of Jammu Police and CRPF during which 10 more mobile phones, 13 SIM cards, five blue-tooth devices, nine mobile chargers, 13 ear phones and a knife were recovered,” sources disclosed describing such recoveries from high security jail as “quite significant” especially the way they were smuggled inside.
The mobile telephones were costlier and some of them were even Smart Phones loaded with all Applications including Social Media which gave the militants easy access to stay in touch with their associates and pass directions for militant activities. However, it wasn’t yet clear that whether any terror act had taken place on directions issued by the militants from inside the jail using mobile telephones or not.
“This will be possible to say only during investigations which will be conducted by the CID CI sleuths who have registered a First Information Report (FIR) at Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC),” sources said.
About how mobile telephones, SIM cards, their accessories and knife could find their way in the jail where dreaded militants including Pakistanis besides hardcore criminals are lodged, sources said some Over Ground Workers (OGWs) posing as family members and relatives of the militants and criminals might have smuggled the telephones, SIM cards and accessories inside but involvement of Jail staff can’t be ruled out at this stage as mobile numbers were being regularly charged inside the jail.
“All mobile telephones and SIM cards were in working condition,” sources said, adding it becomes easy to extract entire data from the working phones as compared to those which are damaged by the militants and criminals during raids and SIM cards destroyed. They asserted that early morning raids might have surprised the detenues as they had kept phones and accessories in the barracks and not with them.
According to sources, it will take few days to identity the militants and criminals who were actually in possession of mobile telephones and SIM cards as the seizure was made from barracks and not in physical possession of the detainees. However, they added, it will not be a difficult task as calls made from the mobile telephones or messages sent using Social Media applications will help in reaching to the militants and criminals lodged in the jail.
“Not necessarily, all mobile telephones and SIM cards might be in possession of the militants. Some other under-trials could also be using phones to stay in touch with their families,” sources said.
However, they confirmed that militants including Pakistanis were lodged in the barracks from where the seizures were made.
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