Mumbai police team reaches Fadnavis' residence to record his statement in phone tapping case

The Mumbai cyber police had issued a notice to Mr. Fadnavis, asking him to appear before them on March 13 in connection with the case

March 13, 2022 01:58 pm | Updated 01:58 pm IST - Mumbai

Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis | Photo Credit: PTI

A team of the BKC cyber police here on March 13 reached senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis's residence to record his statement in connection with a case of alleged illegal tapping of phones, an official said.

Heavy security was deployed outside the home of former Maharashtra chief minister Fadnavis in Malabar Hill area of south Mumbai, where the team, comprising Assistant Commissioner of Police Nitin Jadhav and two inspectors, reached around noon, he said.

The Mumbai cyber police had earlier issued a notice to Mr. Fadnavis, asking him to appear before them on March 13 in connection with the case. Mr. Fadnavis, however, on March 12, said a senior police officer called to inform him that police will visit his residence to take the required information and there was no need for him to visit the police station.

Phones of political leaders, including State Congress chief Nana Patole, minister Bachchu Kadu, former MLA Ashish Deshmukh, former MP Sanjay Kakade and others were tapped illegally by IPS officer Rashmi Shukla, when she was the state intelligence chief, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil had alleged last month.

"In the notice issued to Mr. Fadnavis, police have said that questionnaires were earlier sent to him in sealed envelopes in connection with the case, but he did not respond to them. Besides, notices were also issued to him twice to seek his reply, but he had again failed to reply," the police official said.

In addition to this, three letters were sent to Mr. Fadnavis, reminding him to appear before the police. However, he had failed to give any reply, he said.

A case was registered under the Official Secrets Act at the BKC cyber police station here last year against unidentified persons for allegedly illegally tapping phones and leaking confidential documents. The complaint was lodged by the State Intelligence Department (SID).

However, before the FIR was registered, the then Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte had alleged in his inquiry report that IPS officer Rashmi Shukla had leaked the confidential report.

Ms. Shukla is accused of tapping phones of political leaders and senior officials illegally when she was chief of the SID. She found herself at the centre of controversy after Fadnavis cited a letter purportedly written by her to the then Maharashtra Director General of Police about alleged corruption in transfers in the police department.

The letter also had details of intercepted phone calls, leading to an uproar with leaders of the Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition alleging that Shukla tapped phones without permission.

Meanwhile, BJP workers in parts of Maharashtra burnt copies of a notice issued by Mumbai police to Mr. Fadnavis in connection with the case.

Besides, a number of BJP leaders, including MLA Nitesh Rane, MLCs Prasad Lad and Pravin Darekar, and party leader Kripashankar Singh, gathered outside Mr. Fadnavis’s residence in south Mumbai, when the team of the cyber police reached to record the latter’s statement. The party workers staged protests and burnt copies of the police notice in various parts of the State, including Pune, Pandharpur (in Solapur district), Nagpur, Chandrapur and Sangli.

BJP MLA and former State minister Ashish Shelar said, “…Let them record it (the statement). The truth never hides, and it can never be defeated.” “In fact, Devendra Fadnavis has brought to light corruption in this case. It was expected that those who engaged in corruption or are facing corruption allegations were probed in this case. But, the Maharashtra government is somewhere trying to use pressure tactics on the opponents,” Mr. Shelar told a news channel.

Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Council Pravin Darekar seconded Shelar.

“He (Fadnavis) brought before the people corruption in transfers (of officials)…now this (State) government is trying to counter that allegation,” Mr. Darekar told another TV channel.

Mr. Darekar claimed the MVA government (comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) is facing embarrassment in Maharashtra due to the corruption allegations levelled against it and therefore, making the “poor and unfortunate” attempt to target Fadnavis

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