The Internal Security Division of the home ministry says Vodafone is secretly sharing subscriber data with a British intelligence and security organization. It says Verizon is a partner.
Vodafone denies this charge.
According to documents of the Internal Security Division of the home ministry, Vodafone is alleged to have given the UK-based Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ) secret unlimited access to their network of undersea cables, which carry much of world’s phone calls and Internet traffic, PTI reported.
GCHQ’s mass tapping operations has been built up over the past five years by attaching intercept probes to the transatlantic cables where they land on British shores. Intercept partners are paid for logistical assistance, the home ministry documents claimed.
Though the note had asked the Department of Economic Affairs not to proceed with realignment of Vodafone, which is involved in a Rs 11,200-crore tax dispute over purchase of Hutch’s stake in 2007, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) went ahead and gave clearance for increasing the foreign equity in Vodafone India.
The Union home ministry alleged that Vodafone and Verizon are learnt to be secretly collaborating with UK’s GCHQ and passing on details of their customer phone calls, email messages and other communication and are intercept partners. Vodafone recently sold its stake in Verizon Wireless for $130 billion.
Vodafone said in its reaction that no such concern has been raised with it by the Indian government. The Government of India’s approval of our FDI application states that it was cleared by the FIPB and CCEA after all necessary due diligence, PTI reported.
The telecom operator also denied that it was disclosing any customer data in any jurisdiction unless, like any other operator, it is legally required to do so.
Vodafone said it complies with the law in all countries of its operations, including in the case of its European businesses — the EU Privacy Directive and EU Data Retention Directive.
In its reaction, GCHQ said: “It is a long-standing policy that we do not comment on intelligence matters. All our operational processes rigorously support this position.”
It said the work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework ensuring that the activities are authorized, necessary and proportionate, and that there is rigorous oversight.
