HC asks TRAI to put an end to unsolicited messages

Observing that unsolicited messages to cellphone users is a matter of "common agony", Madras High Court said it is high time the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India puts an end to the problem. Justice Chitra Venkataraman passed the order while hearing a petition of one VS Suresh. Suresh claimed in his petition that two years back, while he was using a number of a private service provider, he received obscene messages.

Though he filed a complaint, the messages continued and money was also deducted from his account. Later he moved a local court as police took no action on his complaint. The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court had directed police to register his complaint following which an FIR was filed in January last year. Suresh said police had taken his mobile phone for probe but did not returned it. His petition before the court, seeking a direction to the authorities to return the device was also pending, he said.

In 2011, he claimed that he sent representations twice to Chairman, TRAI and Telecommunications Secretary to take action against the service provider, but neither a reply nor action was taken. "Considering the nature of the complaint made, which is a matter of common agony for even those who may not be petitioners before this court, this court feels that it is time that the first respondent (TRAI) looks into the grievance of the petitioner and put an end to the harassment, immediately," the judge said. She also directed Suresh to give a copy of the representation to the service provider, which should look into his grievance and do the needful.