Phone tapping case: Devendra Fadnavis summoned by Mumbai police

Maharashtra LoP Devendra Fadnavis has been issued a notice by Mumbai Police directing him to appear before them at BKC Cyber Police Station at 11 am tomorrow in connection with an alleged illegal phone tapping case.

"Mumbai Police has sent me a notice under Sec 160 CrPC, asking me to appear before them at BKC Cyber Police Station at 11 am tomorrow. I will go there and record my statement," Fadnavis said.

The Maharashtra government had earlier told a Mumbai court that Fadnavis is a witness in the case registered over illegal phone tapping that allegedly took place when IPS officer Rashmi Shukla was heading the state's intelligence department,

Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Misar, appearing for the state, said, "Yes, Fadnavis is a witness in the case. His statement will be recorded in the due course of law."

The BKC cyber police station in Mumbai, on the complaint of the Maharashtra Intelligence department, had registered an FIR under Official Secrets Act against unidentified persons for alleged illegal tapping of phones and leak of certain confidential documents.

As per the complaint, the phone tapping allegedly took place when Shukla headed the Maharashtra Intelligence department.

Fadnavis, a former chief minister of the state, had cited a letter purportedly written by Shukla to the then Director General of Police about alleged corruption in police transfers.

(With agency inputs)