New Delhi, Sept. 21 -- The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has cautioned mobile users against allowing SIM cards issued in their name to be used by others, warning that fraudulent SIM issuance, misuse of telecom identifiers and tampering with IMEI numbers can carry serious legal consequences.

Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, such violations may attract imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs.50 lakh, the department said in an advisory issued on 21 September.

The warning is particularly important for users who may have mobile connections issued against their identity documents without their knowledge, or who have handed over SIM cards registered in their name to another person. DoT has advised citizens to r...