CHENNAI: A few days after AIADMK lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India accusing the intelligence wing of the state police of intercepting the phones of opposition leaders, the ruling DMK on Tuesday said after the notification of the Lok Sabha elections, the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax authorities and other investigating agencies of the union government have been illegally tapping the mobile phone conversations of party candidates, front line leaders, their friends, and close relatives by using illegal software.
In a complaint lodged with the Election Commission of India, DMK organisation secretary RS Bharathi urged the chief election commissioner to initiate an inquiry into the illegal phone tapping to ensure free and fair elections.
“While no authority can intercept the phone conversations except for the purposes of the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of an offence, with the prior permission of designated authorities, we understand that the central agencies are illegally intercepting the telephones of candidates, our frontline leaders, their friends and close relatives,” Bharathi said and pointed out the government agencies can intercept telecommunication only under certain contingencies and after the approval of specified authorities.
“We cannot be oblivious of the fact that software like Pegasus is said to be used by these agencies against political opponents,” he added.