Kerala: Parallel telephone exchange unearthed in Palakkad

A Parallel telephone exchange under the cover of an Ayurveda shop in Palakkad was busted by Kerala cops on Tuesday night. The exchange was found at Mettupalayam Street during an investigation based on tip-off received through the police intelligence. Several SIMs and cables were seized.

The exchange was run by an organization called Keerthi Ayurvedic. Several SIM cards, cables, and address documents were seized during the search. The police have also questioned an employee of the ayurvedic institute. The company is owned by Moitheen Koya, a native of Kozhikode. According to the police, he is suspected to be involved in a Kozhikode parallel telephone exchange case as well.

Keerthi Ayurvedic has been operating in this building for eight years, however, local sources confirmed to the police that the exchange was set up in January. A comprehensive investigation is underway into the incident, said district police chief R.K. Viswanath.  The Palakkad parallel exchange has been found as part of the investigation following the incident where the Kozhikode parallel exchange was found. The police say the connect is very probable.

Third bust after Kozhikode, Ernakulam

Last month, a similar parallel exchange was also busted at Ernakulam which was running 14 parallel telephone exchanges in various parts of Ernakulam district. Three persons were arrested and the equipment used for running illegal parallel telephone exchanges that port international incoming internet calls into local telephone calls was seized.

Bengaluru connection 

According to sources, the first bust in Kozhikode was done after intelligence input was received from Bengaluru. It was revealed subsequently that the racket’s links extended to even African countries. The sleuths got evidence of the same during questioning of key accused Ibrahim Pullottil, who was running the same in  Bengaluru. The probe had found that they had received payments from their counterparts in African countries through their office in Dubai.

There could be more, say Cops 

The Kerala Police has spread the net accross all districts after it was learnt that Ibrahim had supplied 500 pieces of equipment across Kerala to set up parallel telephone exchange. Sleuths hope that more links will emerge with the third bust in the state.