Two held for tampering with IMEI numbers of mobile handsets

Two persons have been arrested for allegedly tampering with IMEI numbers of mobile phone handsets, some of them of reputed brands, after police busted their hideout in a raid.
On a tip-off, Local Crime Branch sleuths raided a house in Vidya Nagar (east) area on Thursday night and apprehended Sachin Dipakrao Dube and Shiakh Feroz, while their accomplice Shaikh Iliyas Bagwan is on the run, they said.
"The accused Dube was replacing the IMEI number of a branded mobile phone handset with a duplicate one at his house when we raided it. Dube got this phone from another accused and his friend Shaikh Feroz," according to a release issued by the crime branch today.

The IMEI or MEID number of mobile phone acts as a unique identifier for that device and no two devices will have the same IMEI or MEID number.
Police suspect that the handsets seized are stolen and the IMEI numbers are being tampered with in a bid to avoid tracking and to sell off the phones.
"Dube allegedly used to install porn clips in memory cards and replace the IMEI numbers," police said, adding that a desktop, some equipment needed for replacing the IMEI number and Rs 59,200 in cash were seized from Dube's house.
A complaint against the trio was registered by police sub-inspector, crime branch, Vijay Kamble.

The arrested duo Dube and Firoz were presented before the district sessions court today which remanded them in police custody till August 17.