The police have begun an investigation into the use of wireless sets from a motorcycle accessories showroom near Karamana that are suspected to have access to the police wireless communication network.
The Special Branch had detected two wireless sets at the outlet in Kaimanam. A report was submitted to the police telecommunication wing on July 19. The devices, which were soon seized, were found to be capable of accessing the specific frequency bandwidth of the police communication network.
Besides, with the wireless sets being used without the requisite licence, the Department of Telecommunication, under the Ministry of Communications, also issued a notice to the outlet on the basis of a report forwarded by the police telecommunication wing.
The shop owner maintained that they were unaware of the capability of the wireless sets in accessing the police network. They also claimed that the devices were utilised during off-road motorcycle expeditions that were organised by them in various parts of the State, official sources said.
While the investigation is progressing, the Karamana police are yet to register a case in connection with the finding. However, the issue took a curious turn on Monday when a police team went to the outlet to record statements as part of the probe. The move sparked allegations by news channels that the devices could have had led to leak of sensitive information, thereby amounting to a security lapse during the ongoing visit by President Ram Nath Kovind. However, official sources dismissed the claims, pointing out that the devices have been in the possession of the police for around three weeks and that no information from the police communication network was found to have been relayed through the wireless sets.
