Phone tapping case: Cops file final report in case on scribe, Pilot aide

On August 7, the Pilot camp had accused Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of tapping the phones of at least six MLAs belonging to his own camp staying at Hotel Suryagarh in Jaisalmer, with the help of the police.

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Congress's central leaders said the “priority” is to ensure that the state government lasts its full term, signalling that the Pilot camp may not get what it wants.

Days after the Rajasthan High Court sought the “assistance” of the Advocate General regarding filing of FIR against a journalist, the Rajasthan police on Saturday filed its final report in the phone tapping case.

Manoj Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jaipur South, confirmed that a final report has been filed in the matter. Kumar said the “origin” of the WhatsApp texts — on the basis of which the FIR was filed against Sachin Pilot’s aide Lokendra Singh and Aaj Tak’s Rajasthan Editor Sharat Kumar — “could not be established”.

A final report refers to that document which records the conclusion arrived at by the police after the investigation process.

On August 7, during the political crisis in the state, the Pilot camp had accused Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of tapping the phones of at least six MLAs belonging to his own camp staying at Hotel Suryagarh in Jaisalmer, with the help of the police. It had also shared a document purportedly showing a list of calls made to the MLAs.

On October 1, an FIR was filed against Singh and Kumar accusing them of spreading “misleading and fake news” regarding the accusations made in August.

Following the FIR, Lokendra Singh had approached the High Court in October seeking quashing of the FIR. During a hearing on December 1, the HC had stayed any coercive action by police against Singh till the disposal of the case.

Hamza Khan

Hamza Khan is a seasoned Correspondent for The Indian Express, specifically reporting from the diverse and politically dynamic state of Rajasthan. Based in Jaipur, he provides high-authority coverage on the state's governance, legal landscape, and social issues, directly supporting the "Journalism of Courage" ethos of the publication. Expertise Politics & Governance: Comprehensive tracking of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, including policy changes (e.g., the Right to Health Bill and Anti-Mob Lynching Bills), bypoll dynamics, and the shifting power structures between the BJP and Congress. ... Read More

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