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TRAI norms violated in VoIP minutes sale
MUMBAI: Norms set by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India norms were flouted in the sale of voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) minutes to illegal call centres in Ahmedabad. An official said that TRAI offered VoIP bandwidth for a certain fee to licence-holders.
A four-member panel of IPS officers led by Ahmedabad police chief A K Singh, formed to investigate the bogus ‘call centre’ racket, is probing how the TRAI norms were violated in the sale of VoIP minutes to illegal call centres. Illicit call centres utilised VoIP minutes to defraud US citizens worth lakhs a few days ago.
TRAI had earlier this year planned to set inter-connection charges for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls once the Department of Telecom (DoT) amended the relevant clause. The regulator suggested amending the licence provision for inter-connection at the IP level, which would ease Internet-based calls, alternatively known as VoIP calls.
Officials in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) were studying how other regulatory norms were violated by the alleged racketeers. Other agencies such as the department of industries and department of science and technology could keep a watch on such centres. A police officer said the alleged nexus between the accused and the police was also being probed.
The crime branch last week arrested Hardik Patel (a namesake of the controversial Patel leader), who had allegedly sold the minutes to a call centre in the Chandkheda area of Ahmedabad. Officials are investigating if Patel had a licence to sell VoIP minutes or if he purchased them from another licence-holder and then sold them to one Pritesh Joshi who managed call centre.
A telecom company is required to pay inter-connection charges when its subscriber makes a call to one on another network. The charge gets added up in the final price, which the subscriber has to pay. At present, there are no inter-connection charges for VoIP calls as the licence did not have a clause for inter-connection at IP level.
There was no means of determining the charges till the time licence is amended. Recommending to amend the licence, TRAI said there was no explicit clause relating to inter-connection at the IP level. Since IP-based networks, the regulator said, are continuing to grow, and traditional circuit switch networks are being slowly phased out, there is a requirement to facilitate inter-connection.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
