Congress Leader DK Shivakumar Raises Doubts About His Phone Being Tapped, K'taka Govt Rubbishes Claim

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar on Friday said he has doubts that his phone was being tapped and sought an investigation into it.

State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, however, rubbished Shivakumar's claims and said the BJP government was 'responsible' and would not resort to such acts.

"You call my phone, you can't hear the voice, all these days it was fine.... from morning I have tried about 20 calls, the voice is not audible," Shivakumar told reporters here.

Asked whether his phone was being tapped, he said, hundred per cent he has doubts about it. But he did not want to make any direct allegation without evidence, the Congress leader said and demanded an investigation.

Later, he also wrote to Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant, saying during the last 2-3 days voice cannot be heard properly during incoming and outgoing calls and there were "unwanted disturbance and sounds".

"....I have strong doubts that my phone calls are being tapped. So I request you to get it investigated appropriately and take necessary action," Shivakumar said.

Reacting to his remarks, Bommai, in a statement said, there was no question of tapping Shivakumar's phone. "Ours is a responsible government and will not stoop to the low of tapping phones, also we don't have that necessity. ...If he could not speak to his party leaders when they called, he should inquire with telephone companies about it. Alleging it as telephone tapping is not right," the Minister said.

Noting that the CBI was investigating the telephone tapping case during the previous Congress-JDS rule of which Shivakumar was a part, Bommai said, "such experiences can happen during their government.

This government is not worried about Shivakumar's activities, also there is no need for it." The BJP government in August last year had ordered a CBI probe into the alleged phone tapping during the Congress-JD(S) coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy in which Shivakumar was a cabinet Minister.

The Kumaraswamy government that was rocked by dissidence was accused of tapping phones and spying on a number of people in a bid to avert its collapse.