Police heat on illegal FM stations

RADIO ROW

Three Men Arrested In Malda
Subhro Maitra | TNN

Malda: The airwaves are free — and anyone with the technical knowhow can tap it. Happy with this knowledge, a band of ‘enterprising’ people in Malda and North Dinajpur have started illegal FM stations, dishing out popular songs all day. Though neither district has a single legal FM channel, there are at least 20 such radio stations operating only in Malda.
But the part-time RJs — who actually work as radio and cellphone mechanics — got a rude shock when three of them were arrested on Tuesday. Not only is permission from the information and broadcasting ministry necessary to run such stations, police were also worried that these illegal radio channels could be used by anti-national elements in these sensitive border districts.
An investigation was started after Malda district magistrate Sridhar Ghosh received a confidential report from the Chanchal SDO on these illegal FM channels. “I do not know how they are using frequency modulation without permission. I have urged the police to look into the matter,” the DM said.
A police raid on Tuesday led to two arrests and the seizure of electronic equipment from three radio stations in the Manikchak police station area. Another person was arrested from the Chanchal area. More raids are being carried out. “The crackdown will continue till the last one is brought to book,” said Malda additional SP Mr Kalyan Mukherjee.
The villagers though couldn’t care less about I&B strictures or security concerns. Residents of Bangitola, Chanchal, Manikchak and other areas were enjoying the service. “We are being able to hear some of our favourite songs. What’s wrong with it?” asked Kurban Ali of Bangitola.
“There is a growing demand, especially in the rural areas, for FM radio. As the district officially has no such station, local youths have started channels illegally,” acknowledged a senior police officer. Some of these channels even operate through the night. One of the operators got his trade license from the Englishbazaar Municipality. However, during the investigation, police found that he had actually got the licence for trading in electronic goods but later started using it for running the FM station.
Former information and broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi had laid the foundation stone for setting up an FM radio station in September 2008, but the project had gone into the freezer after his illness.....published in TOI on 12.02.10