DoT Warns: IMEI Tampering Can Lead to Jail & ₹50 Lakh Fine

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a strong caution to citizens against IMEI tampering and misuse of telecommunication identifiers, warning that such actions can attract up to three years’ imprisonment and fines of ₹50 lakh. This announcement underscores the government’s determination to safeguard India’s rapidly expanding digital ecosystem.

India has seen several alarming incidents recently. Earlier in 2026, Delhi Police uncovered a syndicate that defrauded citizens of nearly ₹100 crore by rotating IMEIs and using SIM boxes to impersonate officials. The government also reported blocking over 15 lakh SIM cards and nearly 6 lakh IMEIs linked to cyber fraud, preventing scams worth more than ₹11,000 crore.

Why IMEI Tampering Matters

An IMEI number is essentially the fingerprint of your mobile phone. It’s a 15‑digit code that uniquely identifies your handset, no matter which SIM card is inside. Think of it like a car’s chassis number — it tells the network exactly which device is being used. Alongside IMEI, there are other telecommunication identifiers such as SIM card numbers and Calling Line Identity (CLI), which help telecom networks trace calls, messages, and data back to the right subscriber and device.

Tampering happens when fraudsters overwrite or change the IMEI using illegal software or hardware tools, making one phone appear as another. In some cases, criminals use SIM boxes that hold dozens of SIM cards and rotate IMEIs to disguise international calls as local ones. Others procure SIM cards with fake documents or manipulate CLI so scam calls look genuine. These tricks allow cybercriminals to bypass security, impersonate legitimate users, and carry out fraud undetected.

For everyday users, the takeaway is simple: your phone’s IMEI and your SIM are your responsibility. Verifying your device on the Sanchar Saathi portal, avoiding second‑hand phones without IMEI checks, and never sharing SIM cards are crucial steps to stay safe in India’s digital ecosystem.

International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a unique identifier for every mobile device. Tampering with it or misusing SIM cards compromises:

• Citizen safety by enabling fraud and cybercrime.
• Network integrity by allowing unauthorized devices to operate.
• National security by creating loopholes for malicious actors.

“Tampering with IMEI numbers or using devices with unauthorised or tampered telecommunication identifiers is a punishable offence under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.”

Legal Provisions Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023

• Section 42(3)(c): Prohibits tampering with telecommunication identifiers.
• Section 42(3)(e): Prohibits obtaining SIMs or identifiers through fraud, cheating, or impersonation.
• Section 42(7): Makes violations cognizable and non-bailable.
• Section 42(6): Punishes abettors and promoters of such offences equally.

What Citizens Should Avoid

• Tampered devices: Using modems, SIM boxes, or equipment with configurable IMEIs.
• Fraudulent SIMs: Procuring SIM cards with fake documents or impersonation.
• SIM misuse: Selling, transferring, or loaning SIMs to others for unlawful activity.
• Identifier manipulation: Using apps or websites to alter Calling Line Identity (CLI).

Note: Even loaning a SIM card that is later misused can make the original subscriber legally liable.

Sanchar Saathi: Your Digital Shield

The government urges citizens to use the Sanchar Saathi portal and mobile app to:

• Verify IMEI details (brand, model, manufacturer).
• Secure mobile connections against fraud.
• Report suspicious activity.

Download the app:

• Android
• iOS

Building a Safer Telecom Ecosystem

This initiative is part of India’s broader effort to strengthen telecom security and protect citizens from cyber fraud. Compliance with the Telecommunications Act, 2023 is not just a legal requirement—it is essential for ensuring a safe, trusted, and resilient digital environment.

Avantel Secures ₹117.88 Crore DRDO Contract to Build Indigenous Satellite Communication Hub for Defence

Representative Image 

Avantel Limited, a leading provider of technology solutions for the defence and communication sectors, has secured a contract worth ₹117.88 crore (inclusive of applicable taxes) from the Defence Electronics Applications Laboratory (DEAL), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, Government of India, for the development, installation and commissioning of a Ground Segment Hub for voice and data communication using an Indian geostationary satellite.

The project further adds to Avantel's engagement in developing communication infrastructure for strategic and defence applications.

Commenting on the development, Siddhartha Abburi, Director, Avantel Limited, said, “We are pleased to receive this contract from DRDO for the development, installation and commissioning of a Ground Segment Hub for voice and data communication. The order reflects confidence in our technological and execution capabilities. We remain focused on delivering indigenous communication solutions that support India's strategic and defence requirements.”

This win strengthens Avantel's position as a technology partner in India's defence communication ecosystem and highlights its continued engagement in supporting indigenous communication capabilities for strategic applications.

Avantel remains focused on developing and delivering communication technologies that support India's evolving defence requirements and contribute to the country's broader objective of strengthening domestic capabilities in critical technologies.

About Avantel Limited

Founded by Dr. Abburi Vidyasagar, Avantel Limited has been a pioneer in strategic communication technologies for over three decades. The company specialises in advanced communication products, satellite communication systems (SATCOM), radar subsystems, Software-Defined Radios (SDRs), electronic warfare components, and network management software. Avantel’s innovation-driven approach is rooted in strengthening national security and enhancing India’s technological self-reliance across critical defence domains.

Raymond Aerospace Expands Global Footprint with High-Precision Aero-Engine Capabilities

• Raymond is building capabilities to participate in the next phase of global aerospace manufacturing.
• ₹510 crore aerospace facility under development in Andhra Pradesh

Raymond Limited, the flagship company of the Raymond Group is looking to deepen its participation in the Aerospace business, building on more than two decades of relationships with global OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers and a growing portfolio of high-precision aero-engine components and assemblies.

India is at an inflection point in aerospace manufacturing. As aircraft demand rises and global aerospace companies look to build more resilient and diversified sourcing networks, Indian manufacturers are finding a larger role within an industry traditionally dominated by established global supply bases.

The opportunity is visible in the increasing scale of global aerospace sourcing from India. Airbus currently sources more than US$1.5 billion annually from the country, while Boeing's annual sourcing from India has crossed US$1.25 billion. Yet India's share of the global aerospace supply chain remains relatively small, leaving considerable room for Indian engineering companies to take on more complex and higher-value work.

Mr. Gautam Maini, Managing Director – Engineering Business, Raymond Limited, said, “Aerospace rewards consistency over the long term. Customer relationships are built through qualification, performance and the ability to deliver the same level of quality every time. We are seeing customers increasingly look for partners who can handle not only individual components but also more integrated requirements. Our ambition is clear to build from India, meet global aerospace standards and become a more meaningful part of the supply chains that will shape the next generation of aviation.”

For Raymond engineering arm, this journey is already well underway. Through JK Maini Global Aerospace Limited (JKMGAL), the Company has developed more than 1,300 aero-engine parts, including over 350 components for the latest LEAP engine variants. The business has relationships spanning more than two decades with leading aerospace OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers and serves more than 25 global aerospace component manufacturing customers, several through relationships spanning more than two decades, and has expanded into new geographies including the UK, Belgium and Sweden. More than 75% of its operations are derived from complex aero-engine parts.

The business added more than 100 new SKUs during FY2025–26 and has an order book of over ₹2,350 crore for the next five years, providing visibility for continued expansion.

The Company's aerospace portfolio spans turbine vanes and stator blades, engine mounts and brackets, fuel-system components and complex machined engine parts. It is also expanding into assemblies and other higher-value applications, allowing Raymond to participate in a broader part of the manufacturing process rather than limiting its role to individual components.

With global aerospace manufacturers increasing their engagement with Indian suppliers, Raymond sees an opportunity to build on its existing customer relationships, expand its manufacturing footprint and take on a greater share of the work that goes into aircraft engines and systems around the world.

About Raymond Limited

With the inception in 1925, Raymond Group has been a pioneer and leader in fabric manufacturing and then forayed in other sectors such as engineering and Real Estate. After demerging its Lifestyle Business and Real Estate verticals into independent entities, Raymond Limited now has two core businesses within the Engineering vertical - Tools & Auto Components and Aerospace and Defence. Raymond’s engineering business commands a leadership position in manufacturing files and hand tools and has a significant presence in national and international markets. With the acquisition of Maini Precision Products Limited (MPP) Raymond’s engineering business has forayed into the sunrise sectors of Aerospace and Defence. EV components and caters to international as well as domestic markets.

To know more, visit us today at www.raymond.in

AI Is Moving from Assistant to Agent, Human Judgement Will Become More Valuable, Insights From Great Lakes Chennai Research

• AI-driven profiling achieved the same campaign results with outreach to 2 lakh customers instead of 12 lakh
• AI reduced analysis time for 10,000–15,000 records from four hours to just over an hour
• AI evolution: from predicting customer behaviour to enabling real-time product pitch changes
• Consumer shift: non-linear “4S” journey — Streaming, Scrolling, Searching, Shopping

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond assisting marketers to influencing decisions, executing campaigns and shaping customer journeys. As AI takes on more of the work, the marketer's role is evolving from content creator and campaign manager to strategic conductor. These are insights from the new white paper AI in Marketing: From Insight to Action by Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, launched in the presence of C.K. Ranganathan, Founder, CavinKare.

Prof. Bharadhwaj Sivakumaran, lead author, said: “AI adoption in marketing is not a technology question, it is a leadership question. Organisations are not struggling to access AI; they are struggling to govern it. The marketers who will create lasting advantage are those who know when to let AI execute and when human judgement must step in, to protect brand trust, cultural relevance and the quality of customer relationships.”

AI in Marketing' White Paper by Great Lakes Chennai launched by C.K. Ranganathan, Founder, CavinKare

Authored with Prof. Arti Srivastava and Prof. Kalpana C., the study draws on insights from BFSI, retail, FMCG and services. It identifies a four-stage evolution of AI in marketing:

• Foundational data capabilities
• Predictive modelling
• Collaborative human-AI decision-making
• Agentic stage: autonomous orchestration of campaigns, real-time ad bidding, inventory decisions

The study highlights a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour: traditional linear journeys are giving way to ‘4S’ behaviour — Streaming, Scrolling, Searching, Shopping — creating fragmented paths to purchase and increasing the need for real-time brand responses.

C.K. Ranganathan shared: “Building a successful brand starts with a strong idea, but the real value lies in turning that idea into a differentiated and profitable proposition. As technology and AI reshape marketing, brands will have access to greater speed, data and intelligence, but human judgement will remain critical. The brands that will win, especially in Bharat, will combine technology with deep consumer understanding, quality, convenience and relentless innovation.”

Research findings:

• Analysis of 10,000–15,000 records reduced from ~4 hours to just over 1 hour
• AI-driven profiling reduced campaign outreach from 12 lakh customers to 2 lakh
• Efficiency ≠ effectiveness: AI optimises for scale, but human judgement ensures empathy, context and relationship quality

The research positions the future marketer as a strategic conductor, directing AI while safeguarding brand authenticity, ethics and cultural nuance.

The white paper was presented at the annual Brand Conclave at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, themed ‘The Next Billion Customers: Building Brands for Bharat’. It underscored that as AI executes more marketing tasks, competitive advantage will lie in human ability to decide what matters, why it matters and how it should matter to consumers.

About Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai

Founded in 2004 by Padma Shri Dr. Bala V. Balachandran, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, is a premier business school known for innovative pedagogy, industry-relevant curriculum and strong corporate engagement. The Institute holds AACSB and AMBA accreditations and NBA Tier-1 status, offering full-time and executive management programmes.

Website: www.greatlakes.edu.in

Purple Style Labs Raises ₹306 Crore from Anchor Investors

Purple Style Labs Limited has allotted 53,21,739 Equity Shares to 10 Anchor Investors and raised ₹306 crore at the at the Anchor Investor Allocation Price of ₹575 per Equity Share, with a face value of ₹10 per Equity Share (including a share premium of ₹565 per Equity Share).

Marquee investors include ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, Jupiter India Fund, The Jupiter Global Fund – Jupiter India Select, Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Limited, ITI Multi Cap Fund, ITI Flexi Cap Fund, Singularity Equity Fund I, Integrated Core Strategies (Asia) Pte. Ltd., Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore) Pte. and BoFA Securities Europe SA – ODI.

Out of the total allocation of 53,21,739 Equity Shares to the Anchor Investors, 17,39,192 Equity Shares (i.e. 32.68% of the total allocation to Anchor Investors) were allocated to 2 domestic mutual funds applying through a total of 3 schemes.

The Issue opens on Monday, August 31, 2026, and closes on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.

Axis Capital Limited and IIFL Capital Services Limited are the book running lead managers to the Issue.

Founded in 2015, Purple Style Labs Limited is a luxury fashion house founded in 2015, best known for operating Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop and Studio, an omnichannel platform that curates premium Indian designer brands for global audiences. The company is currently in the spotlight with its ₹680 crore IPO, aiming to expand its retail footprint and strengthen its international presence.