Phone-tapping: Devendra Fandavis says fact-finding report full of fallacies

Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis on Friday alleged that the fact-finding report submitted to the Maharashtra government by the state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte over phone-tapping allegations is filled with fallacies.

"Yesterday, it seems that CS Sitaram Kunte created it, not Jitendra Awhad or Nawab Malik. The Telegraph app clearly stated that if there is any crime, then this work (phone tapping) can be done. But this line itself disappeared from this report," said Fadnavis.

Fadnavis alleged that according to the report, action was taken on many officers due to the opening of the report. "This report was opened by cabinet minister Nawab Malik. He has made this report public. At the appropriate time, we will keep our point in the court as and when required," he added.

IPS officer Rashmi Shukla is suspected to have leaked a copy of her report pertaining to a racket on the transfer of police officials, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte stated in his report to Chief Minister Thackeray. He also alleged that Shukla had misused the state machinery for illegal phone interception.

Thackeray had sought the report from Kunte after the Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis alleged that the government had suppressed Shukla's report related to the transfer of police officials in the state. The BJP demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the phone tapping allegations.

A controversy over phone tapping had erupted last year after audio clips purportedly having a telephonic conversation between Union minister Gajendra Singh and Congress leaders surfaced.

( With inputs from ANI )