by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Special report
Alarmed Govt ask agencies to probe illegal ‘phone-tapping’ by CBI
Alok Verma case hearing in SC tomorrow
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Dec 4
Disturbed by reports that illegal “phone-tapping” was the norm rather than exception, the government has asked the intelligence agencies to probe into matter and submit a report at the earliest.
It emerged during an internal probe undertaken by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and also by startling allegations made by CBI's own DIG in his petition before that Supreme Court that phone-tapping had been unleashed in the country's premier investigation agency. It touched its worst during the infighting between now exiled CBI director Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana.
It may be mentioned that the CBI has its own mechanism to tap the telephones in cases of urgency and it takes post-fecto approval. The government is keen to find out if the infighting led to the free use of this facility granted to the CBI to tap the telephones of criminals nd individuals involved in the corruption.
It emerged that the CBI officials tapped the mobile and landline phones of their own officers, affiliates and several private individuals including politicians without taking prior permission of the Union Home Secretary.
The government is worried about the consequences of the “illegal phone tapping” saga in the event of CBI director himself going “rogue”. In fact, this is the plea that the government is virtually taking in the supreme court against Alok Verma. It is arguing that the Almighty CBI Director had turned rogue and refusing to even answer queries from the CVC or any other authority. He was tapping telephones at will and misusing his authority.
The case will come up for a hearing in the Supreme Court tomorrow. What looked like a simple case of government misuse of its authority in sending Alok Verma on forced leave, the whole thing has turned murkier and the Supreme Court is also struggling hard to deliver justice in the case. The CJI's comment that the CVC's report is uncomplimentary in some cases, goes against Alok Verma.
But what made government more worried was the disclosure in CBI DIG Manish Kumar Sinha who gave details of phone tapping. It clearly emerged that calls of officials and individuals are being tapped without required permission. In some cases, the identity of the person concern was kept hidden though it was known that whose phone is being tapped. This was done largely because if the name or the identity of the person was revealed, the technical surveillance unit would have raised objection.
So much so that the telephone of CBI's own Special Director Rakesh Asthana and RAW official were tapped without taking prior permission. The Supreme Court is also struggling to find a way out to deal with the case of Manish Kumar Sinha,CBI's DIG and handed over the case to Fali S Nariman to guide the court.
This shows the complexity of the murky affairs in the CBI's case. It may be mentioned that the SC will go on vacation from December 14 and reopen on January 2.
Ends
