Union Communications Minister Highlights App’s Role in Preventing ₹22,800 Crore in Financial Fraud

New Delhi, December 2 : Union Minister for Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Tuesday asserted that the activation of the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ application is entirely voluntary for mobile phone users, directly countering claims that installation or registration is mandatory.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Addressing reporters outside Parliament, Minister Scindia strongly clarified the government’s stance, emphasizing that consumers retain full autonomy over the app. “If you want to activate it, do so. If you do not want to activate it, don’t. Delete it if you wish. It is entirely your choice,” the Minister stated.

The clarification comes amid criticism from the Opposition regarding the initiative. Scindia dismissed the backlash as misplaced, stating, “Opposition doesn’t have any agenda (mudda), and they want to find out agenda (mudda). We can’t help the Opposition,” further adding that the Opposition is “unnecessarily making it an issue.”

Minister Rejects Mandatory Activation and Surveillance Allegations

Scindia was unequivocal in rejecting allegations that the app facilitates government surveillance or snooping. He confirmed that the app contains no provisions whatsoever for call monitoring or surveillance.

While the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued directions requiring manufacturers and importers to pre-install the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ app on devices sold in India, this directive is aimed at enhancing consumer awareness and curbing the circulation of duplicate or tampered International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers. The decision to activate and use the application, however, remains solely with the end-user.

Sanchar Saathi’s Proven Impact on Fraud Prevention

The Minister underscored that misinformation should not overshadow the application’s significant benefits for consumer protection and digital security. He highlighted the platform’s success in contributing to the prevention of financial frauds amounting to a substantial ₹22,800 crore in the year 2024.

“Our responsibility is to help consumers and maintain their safety. What is Sanchar Saathi? Sanchar Saathi is an app and a portal through which consumers themselves are able to secure them,” the Minister added.

Key operational impacts reported by the Minister include:

• 2.25 crore mobile connections linked to suspicious or fraudulent activities have been successfully deactivated.

• The system has helped trace nearly 20 lakh stolen devices.

• 7.5 lakh of those stolen phones have been successfully returned to their rightful owners.

• The associated Sanchar Saathi portal has recorded 20 crore downloads, while the mobile app has been downloaded over 1.5 crore times.

A Citizen-Centric Tool for Telecom Cybersecurity

Scindia stressed that Sanchar Saathi is designed as a participatory, citizen-centric tool, enabling individuals to secure their own mobile identities. Through the app and its online portal, users can:

1. Verify whether a device’s IMEI number is genuine.

2. Report the misuse of telecom services.

3. Check active mobile connections registered in their name.

Developed under the Telecom Cyber Security framework, the app is compatible with both Android and iOS platforms, actively strengthening India’s broader telecom-cybersecurity ecosystem.