File photo of Arun Jaitely
Against the backdrop of fresh arrests in the Arun Jaitley phone call detail records case, a parliamentary panel has summoned Home Secretary Anil Goswami and Delhi Police chief B S Bassi to seek more information on the controversy.
Six more persons, including three Delhi police personnel, have been arrested for allegedly obtaining call detail records (CDRs) of BJP leader Arun Jaitley, bringing the total number of those held in the case to 10.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Gopal, head constable Harish, private detectives Alok Gupta, Saifi and Punit, along with another constable, were arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police earlier this month.
The Rajya Sabha Committee on Privileges headed by Deputy Chairman P J Kurien is learnt to have summoned the two top officials.
Sources familiar with the development said more information was needed to be furnished as six more arrests have been made in this case. The next meeting of the Committee will take place during the winter session of parliament beginning from December 5.
The matter was referred to the Privileges Committee after BJP and other parties raised the issue in Parliament earlier this year. Mr Jaitley is Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
BJP members in the Standing Committee of Home Ministry had also raised the issue of Mr Jaitley's call records when top Home Ministry officials, including those from the Information and Broadcasting ministry (I&B), National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Delhi Police, had deposed before it recently.
"The private detectives and the policemen engaged by them appear to have been identified. But who was the client that these persons were acting for...there had to be a client who engaged them to get these details. Investigations have so far failed to identify this client," Mr Jaitley had written on his Facebook page after fresh arrests were made in the case.