Former Pune top cop Rashmi Shukla booked over ‘illegal tapping’ of Nana Patole’s phone

Last year, Patole had claimed in the state Legislative Assembly that his phone was tapped during 2016-2017 (when he was a BJP MP) under the name 'Amjad Khan' and it was alleged that he was involved in 'narcotics smuggling'.

Rashmi Shukla

An offence has been lodged against IPS officer Rashmi Shukla at the Bundgarden police station in Pune city in connection with the alleged illegal phone tapping of state Congress president Nana Patole during the tenure of the previous BJP-led government in Maharashtra.

Last year, Patole had claimed in the state Legislative Assembly that his phone was tapped during 2016-2017 (when he was a BJP MP) under the name ‘Amjad Khan’ and it was alleged that he was involved in ‘narcotics smuggling’. Patole had also alleged that phones of Union minister Raosaheb Danve’s personal assistant, then BJP MP Sanjay Kakade and other elected representatives were also tapped. “I was a Member of Parliament in 2016-17 and there was no reason to tap my phone. This is an attempt to destroy political careers,” he had said.

State Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil had then announced that the government will probe the allegations made by Patole. A three-member committee headed by Director General of Police Sanjay Pandey was formed to conduct an inquiry into this matter. The other members of the committee included the state intelligence department commissioner and the additional commissioner of special branch.

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“The three-member committee conducted an inquiry to ascertain whether illegal phone tapping of elected representatives was done with wrong political motives between 2015 and 2019. The inquiry report submitted by the committee regarding investigation of those found involved in the illegal phone tapping has been accepted by the state government. The committee has stated in its report that Rashmi Shukla did illegal phone tapping at the time when she was the commissioner of Pune City Police (between March 2016 and July 2018). So, an offence has been lodged… under Section 26 of the Indian Telegraph Act,” stated a press release issued by the Pune City Police on Saturday.

After being transferred from Pune City Police in July 2018, Shukla was heading the Maharashtra SID. She is currently posted in Hyderabad as the additional director general of CRPF (South Zone).

Shukla has also faced allegations of illegal phone tapping when she was heading the SID.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had cited a letter, purportedly written by Shukla to the then DGP about alleged corruption in transfer of police officers. The Maha Vikas Aghadi has alleged that Shukla had tapped phones without permission.

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Following a complaint by SID, Mumbai Police had lodged an FIR in March 2021 under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, at BKC cyber police station against unidentified persons for allegedly tapping phones and leaking confidential documents. Shukla had moved the Bombay High Court against the FIR.

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