How Owning Multiple SIMs Can Land You in Jail? Know How to Check Number of SIMs Registered Under Your Name

Registering multiple SIMs under your name can land you in jail or at least make you pay a heavy penalty. Now you will have to pay a penalty for the extra SIMs than the specified number as per telecom law. Repeated violations of the law can also land you in jail.

With strict implementations of these laws, it becomes important to be aware of the law, and what are the consequences if one breaks it. One must also know what to do in such situations. Read below for more information.

What is the SIM Limit?

The number of SIM cards you can have depends on where you get them. With the exception of Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, and the Northeast Licensed Service Areas (LSAs), where the maximum limit is six, each person is permitted to have up to nine SIM cards.

However, there is no exact number mentioned in the telecom law on the maximum number of SIM cards an individual can register under his/her name. Abhishek Mitra, Counsel, DSK Legal confirmed this fact while talking to ET.

How Much is the Penalty ?

Arora from Grant Thornton Bharat explains to ET about the new Telecommunications Act's penalties for having too many SIM cards. For a first-time offense, the fine is up to Rs 50,000, and for each subsequent offense, the fine can go up to Rs 2 lakh.

There's no specific fine or jail time for simply having more SIM cards than allowed, other than disconnecting the extra ones. However, under the new Telecommunications Act of 2023, if you get SIM cards through fraud, cheating, or impersonation, you could face up to 3 years in jail, a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh, or both. This suggests that having more SIM cards than the limit might indicate illegal activity.

How to Check Number of SIMs Registered under Your Name?

The central government has made a dedicated online portal where one can easily check the number of SIM cards that have been registered under their name. 

The Sanchar Saathi portal allows you to find out how many mobile numbers are registered in your name. However, this service is not linked to Aadhaar, so you can't use your Aadhaar ID to check the details.

Step 1: Visit the official website of Sanchar Saathi or visit: tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in

Step 2: Enter your mobile number in the provided field and type in the captcha code.

Step 3: Click on 'Validate Captcha'. 

Step 4: After the validation you will receive an OTP. Enter the OTP in the designated area.

Step 5: A new webpage will appear on the screen, showing the number of mobile connections registered under your name. Here, you have three options:

• 'Not My Number': Select this option if the number showing is not in your knowledge. This is to request the disconnection of those mobile numbers.
• 'Not Required': Select this option if the number showing was registered by you but is no longer in use. This way this number will be disconnected. 
• 'Required': Select this option to confirm that the mobile numbers are active in your name and no action is needed.