BENGALURU/MYSURU: With the initial probe into the illegal telephone tapping controversy throwing up big names who were believed to have been targeted, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday took to social media to dismiss allegations against his government.
While leaders from BJP, and also the Congress, which was part of the coalition government that Kumaraswamy headed for 14 months, demanded a probe to establish the truth, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said he had taken note of it and will take an appropriate decision after discussing with the Chief Secretary.
The Kumaraswamy government was accused of tapping the phones of nearly 300 people, including senior leaders from Congress, BJP and JDS, senior officers and journalists, for several months.
The alleged illegal phone tapping came to light when police started probing an audio conversation, purportedly between a senior IPS officer believed to be lobbying for the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner’s post, and a person claiming to be close to senior Congress leaders. The probe was ordered after the conversation was leaked.
“I had often said the Chief Minister’s post is not permanent and there was no need for me to retain power by ordering illegal phone-tapping,” Kumaraswamy claimed. “The allegations made against me are far from truth,” he added.
However, the BJP and Congress are pushing for the probe. “ It is a criminal offence. There should be a proper inquiry and all persons involved in it should be dealt with it,” said Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda. On Tuesday, senior BJP leader R Ashoka too had demanded a CBI probe. Congress leader M B Patil, who was Home minister in the coalition government, said, “I will write to the Chief Minister asking for a probe as there is a need to bring out the truth.”
In Mysuru, rebel JDS leader A H Vishwanath demanded the CM to order a detailed investigation. “It was not just my phone, but also of 16 other rebel MLAs which were tapped by officials at the instance of Kumaraswamy. It amounts to the breach of individual freedom,” he said.