Police bust illegal telephone exchange converting international calls
Bengaluru (PTI): The Bengaluru police have busted an illegally run telephone exchange here, and seized 28 SIM boxes and 1,193 SIM cards of various companies.
In a statement on Thursday, police said Vodafone Ltd lodged a complaint on November 28, alleging that SIM boxes were used on the fourth floor of Devaraj Building in the Electronic City Phase-2 to illegally convert international calls into local calls, thereby committing cyber crimes.
The complainant said that they were “jeopardising national security, and causing financial loss to the government and the telecom company”.
Subsequently, the Cybercrime Police of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) carried out searches and found 28 SIM boxes, 1,193 SIM cards of various companies, one laptop, three routers, one MI portable CC camera and other documents were seized. The total value of the seized items is Rs 40 lakh.
“The investigation revealed that the SIM cards seized were likely used for cybercrimes, while the SIM boxes were likely used for other cybercrimes. The investigation is underway to determine whether the SIM boxes were used for any other cybercrimes, and the search for the accused is ongoing,” police said.
They added that the accused belonged to Kerala and presently he is absconding in Dubai.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
