New Delhi:
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today made a statement in the Rajya Sabha on the alleged tracking of cellphone records of senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the upper house. This was followed by responses from opposition members.
Here are the highlights:
Sushil Kumar Shinde, Home Minister
- We have ascertained the facts. When this issue was raised in the House, many honourable members referred to tapping of phones of the honourable Leader of the Opposition.
- In the case being investigated by Delhi Police, there was an attempt of unauthorised access of call data records; it is not a case of phone-tapping.
- After the nodal officer asked ACP, Delhi police to reconfirm the request made on e-mail, no call data record was disclosed.
- During the course of investigation, the IP address and login details of the ACP was accessed and it was found that it was accessed by constable Arvind Dabbas.
- He was earlier posted in New Delhi district and therefore had access to the e-mail of ACP Operations.
- Arvind Dabbas accessed call details on behalf of Neeraj Nair, a private detective.
- Nair disclosed he used to pass on the call details of Nitish, who works in a detective agency belonging to Anurag Singh.
- All have been arrested and are being interrogated.
Venkaiah Naidu, BJP
- We are living in the 21st century. The government has all the wherewithal to find out who is behind this.
- The minister's statement is like a police report.
- The Home Minister must share the details of the police investigation.
- Normally the suspicion goes towards the govt without whose cooperation such activities are not possible.
- Why is the government trying to delay the matter. Does the govt have something to hide?
- This government has a notorious record of misusing central investigation agencies.
- How can the government be sure there has been no phone-tapping?
- We need to know the purpose of accessing the phone call records of Mr Jaitley and the people behind this.
- No ordinary individual will seek call details of the leader of the opposition.
Ram Gopal Yadav, Samajwadi Party
- The Home Minister's statement is not convincing.
- We demand to know who wanted the call details.