The government is planning to take action against 45 companies for illegally possessing “off-the-air” monitoring system. These companies include telecom operators and a Chinese vendor.

According a Department of Telecommunications(DoT) source, possessing the equipment which is used to tap the phone calls is illegal as it is a national security concern.

These companies have yet to surrender the monitoring system and a notice has been issued to these companies for not complying with the directive. These companies have imported this equipment during 2007-10.