The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha police has decided to invoke the National Security Act (NSA) against the mastermind of fake SIM cards and OTP sharing scam Pathanisamant Lenka.
As per reports, the decision has been taken by the STF after Lenka’s links with Pakistani intelligence agents have been established.
To dig deeper into the case, the STF has reportedly taken the telecom service providers under scanner as well.
Also Read | STF Arrests 3 for Selling, Sharing OTP to Pakistani Intelligence Operatives, ISI Agents
Lenka was among the three persons arrested on the charges of selling and sharing OTP with some criminals and anti-national elements. The two other accused are Saroj Kumar Nayak and Soumya Pattanaik. One of the accused is an ITI teacher.
Senior STF officials said, in return, the accused were paid by some Pakistani agents based in India. Moreover, they were in touch with a female Pak intelligence agent, who was arrested in an Official Secrets Act/ Honey-Trap case in Rajasthan last year, the STF officials said.
The OTPs were used to create various accounts/ Channels on social media like Whatsapp, Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram and also on online shopping sites like Amazon, Flipkart, etc. These were also used in opening email accounts. Most thought that these accounts were owned by an Indian but actually were being operated from Pakistan.
Also Read | Sharing OTPs with Pak Intelligence Operatives: STF to Bring 3 Arrested Accused on Remand
These social media platforms would then be used in various kinds of Anti-India activities like Spying, communication with terrorists, radicalization, running anti-India propaganda, fuelling anti-India/ divisive sentiments on social media, sextortion, Honey-trapping, etc.
The STF is likely to take Lenka on remand from tomorrow for further questioning.