CHENNAI : Something about the call had a false ring to it, enough for a group of subscribers to alert the Department of Telecommunications to an illegal telephone exchange in the city on Wednesday.

By the time it was busted, the department lost quite a bit of revenue. The illegal operation was done bypassing the international subscriber dialling network to re-route international calls for close to one-and-a-half months.

The case shows that even months after a major scandal pertaining to re-routing of international calls as local calls broke, illegal exchanges continue to operate.

Sources in the CCB said Syed Siddique, had been arrested on charges of operating an illegal exchange out of Lingi Chetty Street.

A raid by the telecom department's vigilance cell revealed that it had eight lines for re-routing international calls to India via Internet illegally.

"The exchange used voice over Internet telephony technology to deliver international calls across India. It bypassed the ISD network by using two gateway routers each of which had the capacity for handling four telephone lines simultaneously.

For this, he was paid nearly Rs. 4 per minute by his accomplices abroad," said S. Sivaprakasam, deputy director of the cell.

The cell was alerted by subscribers who received international calls but with a local mobile number flashing on their caller ID equipment.

"Calls routed through this exchange reflected Chennai-based numbers of two cellular operators. The accused could easily procure SIM cards for use in the routers. We have asked for details from the operators about those who had bought the cards," said Mr. Sivaprakasam.

Notwithstanding Government norms that SIM cards should be issued only on production of identity and address proofs, industry sources say it was not difficult to flout the guideline.

Another issue with which the telecom department is battling is the newer modus operandi and technology adopted by such illegal operators to evade detection.

Investigations are now focussed on the foreign end of the illegal exchange business that thrives on the promise of cheap calls to India.

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