• Source:JND
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Sanchar Saathi App Row: Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday made a big clarification over the Sanchar Saathi mobile application row, saying it is not a mandatory app, but an optional. It can be deleted, he asserted.

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"If you don't want Sanchar Saathi, don't register for it. It cannot be activated without registration. You can delete it. It is optional. It is our duty to introduce this app to everyone to provide protection from fraud. Keeping it in their devices or not is up to the user...," Scindia said.

When the opposition has no issues, and they are trying to find some, we cannot help them, he said adding that this is government's duty is to help the consumers and ensure their safety.

20 Lakh Stolen Phones Traced: Government

"The Sanchar Saathi app enables every consumer to ensure their safety. Sanchar Saathi portal has more than 20 crore downloads, and the app has more than 1.5 crore downloads. Sanchar Saathi has enabled the disconnection of nearly 1.75 crore fraudulent mobile connections. Around 20 lakh stolen phones have been traced, and around 7.5 lakh stolen phones have been handed over to their owners, all because of Sanchar Saathi," Scindia highlighted the utility of the app.

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This app does not enable snooping or call monitoring, he asserted. "You can activate or deactivate it as per your wish. It is about customer protection. I want to clear all misconceptions. It is our duty to introduce this app to everyone. Keeping it on their devices or not is up upto the user. It can be deleted from the mobile phone just like any other app," the Union Minister added.

Sanchar Saathi Mobile App: A Timely Response To Growing Cyber Crimes

In response to growing cyber crimes, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) introduced the Sanchar Saathi mobile app—a citizen-centric tool that brings robust security features and fraud-reporting capabilities directly to users’ smartphones. The app complements the existing Sanchar Saathi portal by providing convenient, on-the-go protection against identity theft, forged KYC, device theft, banking fraud, and other cyber risks.

 This proactive initiative has already made a measurable impact: more than 3 crore fraudulent mobile connections have been terminated, 3.19 lakh devices blocked, 16.97 lakh WhatsApp accounts disabled, and over 20,000 bulk SMS senders were blacklisted, significantly curbing telecom-related fraud and enhancing user security across the country. By empowering citizens with easy-to-use tools and real-time access to vital security features, the Sanchar Saathi mobile app represents a timely and effective response to India’s growing cybercrime challenges.

The application is available in Hindi and 21 other regional languages, making it inclusive and accessible across the country. Available on both Android and iOS platforms, the app has already crossed 50 lakh downloads since its launch.

(With ANI inputs)

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