The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Gujarat government over a writ petition filed by suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt for a direction to quash a criminal case registered against him for allegedly hacking Additional Advocate General Tushar Mehta's e-mails.
A Bench of Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Desai, while granting four weeks to the State to file its response, declined to stay the investigation against Mr. Bhatt.
The case was registered on a complaint by Mr. Tushar Mehta that Mr. Bhatt hacked his e-mail account and shared the password with two television journalists. The State Police filed an FIR against Mr. Bhatt on August 5.
‘Privacy right violated'
“These communications contain my personal, official, and legal correspondences which were not only un-authorisedly seen by Mr. Bhatt but also shared with others with ulterior motive which, apart from being a criminal offence, violates my right to privacy.”
Mr. Bhatt in his petition, contended that the FIR was filed to harass him. He sought the quashing of the FIR and a stay on the investigation. He also wanted the case to be shifted out of Gujarat.
