Srinagar, Apr 19: Two US nationals were detained at the Srinagar International Airport on Sunday after a satellite phone was recovered from their luggage during routine screening, officials said.
The two have been detained for questioning, the officials said.
The individuals, identified as Montana-based Jeoffrey Scott and Haldar Kaushik, were questioned by the airport security, and then handed over to the authorities for further questioning.
This is because the use of satellite phones is banned in India without prior approval from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
The authorities are yet to determine why the US nationals had the satellite phone in their luggage, whether they had prior government approval to carry it, and how they obtained it,
Not only is the use of satellite phones strictly regulated across India, but the sensitive region in which their Garmin phone was confiscated—the Kashmir Valley—has raised concerns.
If found guilty of having the satellite phone without prior permission, the US nationals could face legal action under under the Indian Telegraph Act and/or related security laws.
