Phone-Tapping case: Mumbai Police records statement of BJP's Devendra Fadnavis

BKC cyber police team reached senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader  Devendra Fadnavis's residence to record his statement in connection with a case of alleged illegal tapping of phones, an official confirms. 

At the Minister's house in the Malabar hill area of south Mumbai, heavy security was deployed, where the team comprising Assistant Commissioner of Police Nitin Jadhav and two inspectors reached around noon, he said. 

The Mumbai cyber police earlier issued a notice to Fadnavis, asking him to appear on Sunday before them in connection with the case. However, Fadnavis, on Saturday, stated that a senior police officer informed him that police would visit his residence to register his statement; there's no need for him to visit the police station. 

Last month, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil alleged that IPS officer Rashmi Shukla, when she was the state intelligence chief, illegally tapped phones of several political leaders, including state Congress chief Nana Patole, former MLA Ashish Deshmukh, former MP Sanjay Kakade, also, Minister Bachchu Kadu, and others. 

The police officer said regarding the notice issued to Fadnavis that questionnaires were earlier sent to the Minister in a sealed envelope in connection with the case, but he did not reply. Besides, notices were also issued to him twice, aiming his reply; however, he again failed to answer. Three letters were sent to Fadnavis, telling him that he needed to appear in court. He, on the other hand, failed to respond. 

Last year, an unidentified person was charged under the Official Secrets Act at the BKC cyber police station for allegedly illegally tapping phones and leaking confidential documents. The State Intelligence Department filed the complaint (SID). But, before the FIR was registered, the then Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitarama Kunte had alleged in his inquiry report that IPS officer Rashmi Shukla had leaked the confidential details.

Shukla is accused of illegally tapping the phones of political leaders and senior officials while she was chief of the SID. She became embroiled in controversy after Fadnavis cited a letter purportedly written by her to the then-Director General of Police in Maharashtra about alleged corruption in police transfers.

The letter also contained information about intercepted phone calls, which sparked outrage among Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition leaders, who claimed Shukla had tapped phones without permission.

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