Mukul Roy Phone Tapping: Centre, West Bengal Government Told To Explain

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today directed the Centre and the West Bengal government to file in a sealed cover, their responses on a plea by BJP leader Mukul Roy alleging that his phones were being tapped by the state police.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru asked the Centre, state government and Mukul Roy's telecom service providers -- MTNL and Vodafone to file their affidavits stating whether Mr Roy is being monitored or his calls are intercepted by any of the agencies.

The court said if this is being done, then also file the reason in sealed cover. The court asked them to file their affidavit in two weeks and listed the matter for December 7.

During the hearing, counsel for the Centre and the West Bengal government opposed the petition saying if at all any cause of action arises, it should be at the court in West Bengal.

The former Trinamool Congress lawmaker had alleged that while he was in West Bengal, he had always found that the local police were monitoring his movements.

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Mr Roy, who left his old party - Trinamool Congress - to join the BJP earlier this month, had sought direction to his telecom service providers to produce before the court orders, if any, issued by the Centre or the state government to intercept telegraphic messages originating from or received by the leader or any of his relatives.