Lok Sabha Question No. 5345 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-25
Subject: Sanchar Sathi Portal
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Dulu Mahato, Shri Bhojraj Nag, Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara, Shri Madhavaneni Raghunandan Rao, Shri Naba Charan Majhi, Shri Anoop Pradhan Valmiki, Shri Avimanyu Sethi, Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh, Smt. Kamlesh Jangde, Shri Praveen Patel, Shri Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Shri Dilip Saikia, Shri Yogender Chandolia, Shri Lumbaram Choudhary, Dr. Manna Lal Rawat, Shri Haribhai Patel, Shri Mahesh Kashyap, Smt. Smita Uday Wagh, Shri Chandra Prakash Joshi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5345 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH  MARCH, 2026

## SANCHAR SATHI PORTAL

## †5345. SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG:

SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:

SHRI LUMBARAM CHOUDHARY:

SHRI DULU MAHATO:

SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:

SHRI ANOOP PRADHAN VALMIKI:

SHRI YOGENDER CHANDOLIA:

SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

DR. MANNA LAL RAWAT:

SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL:

SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:

SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE:

SHRI AVIMANYU SETHI:

SHRI HARIBHAI PATEL:

SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI:

SMT. SMITA UDAY WAGH:

SHRI MADHAVANENI RAGHUNANDAN RAO:

SHRI MAHESH KASHYAP:

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether more than Rs. 47 lakh lost or stolen mobile handsets have been successfully blocked during the year 2025-26 through the 'Sanchar Sathi' portal and if so, the details thereof, State-wise particularly in Maharashtra, Jalgaon district;
- (b) the manner in which the 'Chakshu' feature has helped citizens report over 8.5 lakh suspected fraudulent communications received through WhatsApp;
- (c) the specific impact of the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) on preventing losses to UPI service users;
- (d) whether the Government has successfully eliminated over 3 crore fake mobile connections using Artificial Intelligence based facial recognition tools; and
- (e) the number of international calls appearing as local numbers identified and blocked based on citizens reporting during the year 2025-26?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)

- (a) Sanchar  Saathi  portal  (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in)  and  mobile  app  of  Department  of Telecommunications  (DoT)  facilitates  citizens  to  report  lost/  stolen  mobile  handsets.  Reported mobile handsets are blocked in Indian telecom network. State/ UT-wise statistics for mobile handsets blocked have been made available on the Sanchar Saathi portal for citizens. Till date, 5,96,069 and 6,438 mobile handsets have been blocked in Maharashtra and Jalgaon district respectively.
- (b) Chakshu  facility of Sanchar Saathi enables citizens to report the suspected fraud communications received through call, SMS or WhatsApp. Till date, citizens have shared 8.82 lakh suspected fraud communications related inputs on Sanchar Saathi.
- (c) Since  launch  of  Financial  Fraud  Risk  Indicator  (FRI)  in  May  2025,  financial  institutions including Unified Payments Interface (UPI) service providers have reported that based on transaction decline and alert or notifications given to citizens, potential frauds amounting to over ₹1,900 crore have been prevented utilizing FRI.
- (d) DoT has developed ASTR which is an artificial intelligence and big data analytics tool that identifies suspicious mobile connections. Such numbers are shared with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) through Digital Intelligence Platform. More than 88 lakh such mobile connections have been disconnected after failing reverification.
- (e) DoT has developed International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System (CIOR) which is  a  system  to  identify  and  block  incoming  international  spoofed  calls  displaying  Indian  mobile numbers that appear to be originating within India. Since its commissioning on 17.10.2024, CIOR has shown significant results, blocking 1.35 crore calls in 24 hours and has resulted in nearly 99% reduction in spoofed calls with Indian calling line identification. Calls that still land on international gateways are blocked there itself. Cumulative numbers for blocking of such calls are not maintained year-wise.

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