Bengal police deny phone-tapping, HC dismisses Mukul Roy’s plea

New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea by former Trinamool Congress MP Mukul Roy in which he had accused the West Bengal government of tapping his phone, after the state police authorities denied it.

As Justice Vibhu Bakhru was informed by the state Director General of Police, Crime Investigation Department, and the Kolkata Police Commissioner through an affidavit that there was no "interception" of his phones, the court dismissed Roy's plea.

Reading from a state police affidavit submitted in a sealed cover, Justice Bakhru said: "Apprehensions expressed by the petitioner are without basis and incorrect. The petitioner's apprehensions are unfounded."

"At no point of time has an order been issued to intercept or tap any of the four (phone) numbers mentioned by the petitioner (Roy)," the Judge said after going through the affidavit.

Roy, who has since joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had approached the High Court that his mobile phone was being tapped for many months now.

He had sought direction to his telecom service provider to submit in the court if any communication was issued by the Centre or the West Bengal government to intercept telephonic messages originating from or received by him or any of his relatives.

The West Bengal politician had claimed the state government had been tapping the phones of several other persons not belonging to the ruling TMC.