. NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: Visiting US national Jeffrey Scott, who was stopped at Srinagar airport after a satellite phone-like device was detected in his baggage — a prima facie violation of provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act — was allowed to fly out of the Valley after it became clear that he had carried the device as a navigational aid for his trekking trips, unaware that its possession and use were banned in India, report Bharti Jain & Naseer Ganai. Sources said the device is commonly used by trekkers in the US, where it is not banned, as a satellite communicator to navigate remote areas without any cellular coverage.Scott and his travel companion Haldar Koushik, an Indian-origin naturalised US citizen who has worked with US govt, reached Kashmir via Delhi and were to fly out from Srinagar to Kathmandu, via Delhi. “Scott, unaware of the ban on satellite phones in India, had carried the device from the US for use as a navigational tool for trekking trips in both J&K and Nepal. A background check by agencies, including RAW, cleared him after it did not find any malicious intent on his part,” a source told TOI. An officer said Scott, who hails from Montana, was neither detained nor arrested. No FIR was registered against him either. “The phone he was carrying is not really a satellite phone like Garmin or Thuraya but a phone-like device that also acts as a satellite communicator. After a background check found him in the clear, he was allowed to fly out. He may leave Srinagar tonight or tomorrow,” the source added. A police officer said such communication devices are restricted in J&K and other parts of the country and they are allowed to be used only after authorisation.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS Nationals Detained At Srinagar Airport Over Banned Satellite DeviceNo Fuel Shortage: Govt Assures 100% Domestic Gas Supply As India’s LPG Demand Falls 13% In MarchPM Modi Takes ‘Jhalmuri’ Break, Interacts With Locals In West Bengal’s Jhargram Amid Poll CampaignIndia Warns Iran Of Consequences After Attack On Two Tankers In Strait Of HormuzIndia Expands Export Relief After Hormuz Tensions Adds Egypt & Jordan To Shield Trade RoutesCongress Holds Protest After PM Modi’s Address To The Nation On Women’s Reservation Bill SetbackIndia’s Naval Push In Indo-Pacific: IOS Sagar Departs Phuket After Successful Thailand Port CallManipur Streets Erupt As Security Forces Fire Tear Gas On Protesters | WatchManipur Horror: Retired Soldier Among Two Shot Dead In Ukhrul Highway AttackWhat We Know About Indian Ships Hit In Hormuz Strait By Iran Gunboats And Unknown Projectile123Photostories5 style lessons from Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic wardrobeWhy you forget names instantly: It’s not your memory, it’s your attention, and here’s how to fix it5 Horror movies based on real-life events: ‘The Conjuring’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and moreTop 5 sneaker releases of 2026 you shouldn’t missBeautiful Indo-Arabic and Persian baby names quietly used in Indian familiesHe never drank alcohol, yet was diagnosed with severe fatty liver: What this says about modern diets and silent lifestyle risksHow to stop rice flour roti from cracking: 5 proven home tips to make soft and puffed rotiAs Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy, a look at Bollywood’s cutest pregnancy announcementsInside Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s parenting style: How they’re raising grounded, disciplined teen sons7 factors driving property price growth in Indian metro cities123Hot PicksIran warDelimitation Bill DefeatPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingIPL Orange Cap 2026VijayPM Modi LiveWorld Largest EconomySue BirdIce SpicePahalgam Pony Wallah StoryWomen Quota BillE Coli Smuggling CaseErika Kirk Event
NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: Visiting US national Jeffrey Scott, who was stopped at Srinagar airport after a satellite phone-like device was detected in his baggage — a prima facie violation of provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act — was allowed to fly out of the Valley after it became clear that he had carried the device as a navigational aid for his trekking trips, unaware that its possession and use were banned in India, report Bharti Jain & Naseer Ganai. Sources said the device is commonly used by trekkers in the US, where it is not banned, as a satellite communicator to navigate remote areas without any cellular coverage.Scott and his travel companion Haldar Koushik, an Indian-origin naturalised US citizen who has worked with US govt, reached Kashmir via Delhi and were to fly out from Srinagar to Kathmandu, via Delhi. “Scott, unaware of the ban on satellite phones in India, had carried the device from the US for use as a navigational tool for trekking trips in both J&K and Nepal. A background check by agencies, including RAW, cleared him after it did not find any malicious intent on his part,” a source told TOI. An officer said Scott, who hails from Montana, was neither detained nor arrested. No FIR was registered against him either. “The phone he was carrying is not really a satellite phone like Garmin or Thuraya but a phone-like device that also acts as a satellite communicator. After a background check found him in the clear, he was allowed to fly out. He may leave Srinagar tonight or tomorrow,” the source added. A police officer said such communication devices are restricted in J&K and other parts of the country and they are allowed to be used only after authorisation.
