IPS Rashmi Shukla moves Mumbai court for discharge plea in phone taping case

Former State Intelligence Department chief Rashmi Shukla, accused of tapping the phones of NCP leader Eknath Khadse and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, has approached metropolitan magistrate court in Mumbai for discharge plea citing lack of sanction to prosecute her.

According to a report of Hindustan Times, The magistrate court has asked the prosecution to file their reply on the plea and scheduled the matter for hearing on January 31.

According to the police, she had illegally secured permission for surveillance from the home department by changing the name of Raut to S Rahate, claiming that he is an anti-social element. One of Raut’s phone numbers and two phone numbers of Khadse were kept under surveillance, the charge sheet said.

Shukla, who was then commissioner of the State Intelligence Department (SID), had allegedly tapped the phones of Raut and Khadse. Mumbai police in April last year submitted a 700-page charge sheet against the senior IPS officer, who is presently on central deputation.