Tapping to be reviewed

 The next time the police decide to intercept a telephone call, a state level committee would review the decision. The state government ordered the review committee to be ‘functional’ after DNA raised the issue of phones being tapped in violation of the Indian Telegraph Act during the former BJP government’s regime.

According to government officials, a committee authorised to review the cases of phone tapping existed ‘only on paper’ since 2005. Neither did the committee convene meetings for reviewing decisions to tap phones nor was any case referred to it.

Since it did not function, phones were allegedly tapped without any authorisation from the committee.

“The committee was non-functional,” home secretary SN Thanvi told DNA. The then chief secretary was made its chairman while the law secretary and the Jaipur Development Authority secretary were its members, he said.

Thanvi said, “The interception review committee has been made functional and every case of interception of telephone numbers will be referred to the review committee by the home department.” It will ensure that phones are not tapped without a formal nod.