The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the allegations of tapping of phones of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and some other Ministers and VVIPs in Andhra Pradesh, served notices to Telangana State Home Secretary Rajiv Trivedi in Hyderabad on Thursday seeking preservation of the intercepted conversations and call data records (CDR) available with the Home Department of that State.
The SIT acted on the orders of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Vijayawada, to whom the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) who allegedly tapped the phones of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu and others, furnished the call data that was in their possession earlier this month.
It may be noted that Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao had lodged a complaint with the Satyanarayanapuram police here last month against ‘TRS people’ for allegedly tapping the phones of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu and other VVIPs. Cases were filed in police stations across the State by Ministers, MLAs and leaders of the TDP.
A four-member SIT headed by DIG S.M. Iqbal was then constituted to investigate the cases. The matter was now pending with the High Courts of AP and Telangana.
Will abide by court decision: Trivedi
Special Correspondent from Hyderabad adds: At about 5 p.m., three officials of the SIT landed at the ‘A’ block of Telangana Secretariat and went to the 6{+t}{+h}floor office of Mr. Rajiv Trivedi, pronouncing their arrival. It is understood that they were made to wait for at least about 90 minutes after which they entered his chambers and served the communication from a Vijayawada court.
Speaking to presspersons soon after, Mr. Trivedi confirmed receipt of the communication. He explained that the court had asked him to ensure that CDR was not deleted because it pertained to an ongoing case. He said he would abide by the court’s directions.
A few minutes later, as information spread about the actions of the SIT team, Telangana Secretariat employees led by MLA V. Srinivas Goud gathered near the media point and spoke to waiting presspersons.
The MLA pointed out that the AP Chief Minister had several properties out here in Hyderabad and that he had to stay here for 10 years, till such time that the city was the joint capital. “We will not tolerate any such actions on the part of AP,” he warned.
