KOCHI: DGP Loknath Behera on Sunday said he had received a letter from Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) director Jacob Thomas.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the Kerala Police Housing Cooperative Society here, Behera said he could not check the contents of the letter as he was travelling.
Referring to the complaint filed by Jacob Thomas the other day that his official phone was being tapped, and e-mails hacked, Behera said, “appropriate steps will be initiated after going through the letter.”
Normally, it is the DGP who gives permission to tap phone.
“I have not given permission to anyone to tap Jacob Thomas’ phone, neither has anyone approached me officially with the request to tap his phone. Though the IG has the power to tap phone, the protocol stipulates that it should be reported to the DGP within three days. Usually, the IG does not take such action without informing the DGP as it would became his sole responsibility,” said Behera.
Jacob Thomas in his complaint had termed the act of phone tapping as invasion of privacy, and pointed out that leakage of any information would affect the ongoing investigation into various corruption cases as several politicians and officials of the IG rank were named as accused.
Answering a query on ADGP B Sandhya holding discussions with former Supreme Court Judge Markandey Katju about the Soumya murder case, Behera said it was not with his consent that the ADGP visited Katju. Sandhya’s visit had triggered a controversy in the wake of the Supreme Court responding to Katju’s criticism on social media against the Apex Court’s verdict in the Soumya murder case by asking the former Supreme Court Judge to appear before it to discuss the case.
Earlier, Congress leader A K Antony supported Jacob Thomas, stating that phone tapping, be it that of an official or the common man, would amount to invasion of privacy.
“Both the Central Government and the State Government have set guidelines for tapping phone, which should be strictly adhered to,” Antony told reporters on the sidelines of a function held at Town Hall here on Sunday.
Antony said it had been only four months since Jacob Thomas took charge as the Vigilance Director, which was too short a period to assess his performance.