Centre says tapping a sting for money

While the Centre today declared that the Amar Singh phone-tapping episode was a ‘‘sting operation for monetary gains involving no ...

While the Centre today declared that the Amar Singh phone-tapping episode was a ‘‘sting operation for monetary gains involving no political party or personality,’’ the Mulayam Singh Yadav government launched its parallel probe.

Union Home Secretary V K Duggal said that he had received a fresh update from the Delhi Police and that ‘‘investigations have revealed that phone tapping was a sting operation organized by a private detective along with some others for monetary and other gains.’’ He said: ‘‘There are no indications of any political party or political personality being involved. There was no involvement of either the Centre, Delhi government including Delhi Police.’’

Duggal said that lapse on the part of the telecom service provider— Reliance Infocomm—was an integral part of the Delhi Police probe.

Story continues below this ad

Sources say the UP probe is based on an FIR registered last night in Noida’s Sector 20 police station by Flex Industries chairman Ashok Chaturvedi. It was Chaturvedi who tipped Amar Singh on the tapping on December 27.

The FIR alleges that Chaturvedi and Amar Singh’s phones have been tapped as part of a political conspiracy. Acting with remarkable swiftness, the UP government transferred the case to the UP Special Task Force for ‘‘speedy investigation”.

In New Delhi, Mulayam confirmed that the UP STF will also probe the case. ‘‘When I came to know that those behind the tapping (Delhi police) are now probing it, I ordered the STF to investigate the matter. Delhi police should co-ordinate with the STF. Our STF is a very competent unit… it solved the Ayodhya case within 30 days,’’ Yadav said. Amar Singh added that ‘‘UP STF can now summon the accused for questioning.’’ DGP Yashpal Singh, who was also in the Capital today, told The Indian Express that ‘‘the orders will be followed immediately.’’

Chauturvedi had skipped his date with the Delhi police yesterday—he was summoned along with Amar Singh—citing medical reasons that he was admitted to Fortis Hospital in Noida. He arrived at the Lodhi Road police station of the Special Cell today around 12:30 pm and was questioned for over two hours on the identity of ‘‘Rahul’’, who told Chaturvedi that his conversations with Amar Singh were being tapped. Police suspect Rahul is Anurag Singh, the private detective arrested in the case.

Story continues below this ad

Chaturvedi, who is close to Amar Singh, has a controversial past. The CBI had arrested him in September 2001 for allegedly bribing Central Excise Commissioner Someshwar Mishra. Amar Singh, then on the board of directors of Flex Industries, was also questioned. Chaturvedi was also chargesheeted along with senior IAS officer Neera Yadav in 2000 in a case related to alleged irregularities in allotment of land in Noida to the Flex group of companies.

(with bureau reports)