Rajasthan phone tapping: Shekhawat names Gehlot's OSD in FIR
New Delhi: The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has now launched an investigation into allegations that an Officer on Special Deuty with the Rajasthan Chief Minister's Office might have been involved in tapping the phones of Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
As per the FIR, Shekhawat has filed a complaint and asked police to probe the role of Lokesh Sharma, presently serving as the Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and others known, unknown individuals for commission of the offences of Criminal Conspiracy and unlawfully intercepting telegraphic signals (telephonic conversation).
On July 17, 2020, various prominent media houses of the country broadcasted, aired, some intercepted telephonic conversations allegedly between one Sanjay Jain, one Bhanwar lal Sharma, a Member of Legislative Assembly, Rajasthan and the complainant.
"lt is of utmost relevance to mention here that while the additional chief secretary claims to have never authorised the telephonic interceptions, the media houses which published the intercepted conversations in a reply to the notice, served upon them in this regard by Dharmendra Kumar Yadav, Additional Superintendent of Police, in relation to case number 48/20 and 49/20, registered at Special Operation Group police station, Jaipur," the FIR read. They have disclosed the name of Sharma, as the person who provided them with the intercepted conversation.
"The factum of this unlawful circulation of the illegally intercepted telephonic conversation is further substantiated by the statement made by Shanti Dhariwal (Minister, Govt. of Rajasthan) during the discussion in the ongoing assembly session, wherein it was categorically stated by him that the audio in question was leaked in the media by Sharma," the complainant told police.
Sharma was then, and continues to be an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the conversation which was intercepted and circulated related to Bhanwar Lal Sharma, who along with various other elected MLAs of Congress Party, at the relevant time, were dissatisfied with the political leadership in the State. lt is amply clear that the interceptions were effected and circulated with the intention to secure political ends.
The case relates to some phone conversations leaked in July last year during the political crisis in Rajasthan that ended with Sachin Pilot jumping ship. The conversation appeared to be incriminating in nature.
