Meerut (UP), Jun 5 (IANS): The Meerut police has registered a FIR against a mobile phone manufacturing company and its service centre after it was found that over 13,500 mobile phones in the country were running on the same IMEI.

The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is the number used to identify the device.

The matter came to light when a police man gave his mobile phone to the staff at cyber-crime cell for examination, as the phone was not working properly even after repair.

Meerut SP (city) Akhilesh N. Singh said that the cyber cell found that the around 13,500 other mobile phones were also running on the same IMEI.

He said the matter was a serious security issue.

"Prima facie, it appears to be negligence on part of the mobile phone company and criminals can use it to their advantage," Singh said.

He said a case has been registered under relevant sections of the law and a team of experts has been called to look into the matter.