HYDERABAD: Politicians’ mobile phones are becoming their nemesis. They are now thinking twice before using their phones if they have to talk about something very confidential. They are uneasy using the phones as whatever they speak or chat on phones gets recorded and it becomes data that could be used against them if they are connected with any crime.
The recent SSC paper leak has proved how the data on the mobile phone turned into evidence of BJP State president Bandi Sanjay’s alleged “wrongdoing.”The MP reportedly did not surrender his mobile as sought by the police who wanted to examine his chat with accused Prasanth in the SSC question paper leak. The police said that Sanjay’s mobile is the main article of evidence in the case.
As mobile phones brought difficult times to several politicians, including BRS MLC K Kavitha and TPCC president A Revanth Reddy, leaders are averse to using them while dealing in confidential matter.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that Kavitha had destroyed 10 mobile phones after using them in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam. However, Kavitha produced 10 phones, claiming that they were the ones that she had used during the said period and handed them over to the ED, to drive home the point that she had not done anything illegal.
Article of evidence
In October last year when the attempt to poach BRS MLAs created a sensation, the police relied heavily on the call data on the phones of the emissaries. The mobile which belonged to MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy was also seized and submitted to the court where it became the main article of evidence to fix the alleged BJP emissaries who tried to lure the MLAs to join the saffron party.
In 2015, the police used the data on the mobile phones of the accused to build the vote-for-cash case. At that time, the calls that were recorded on mobile phones became the basis of the case. The allegation was that the TDP had tried to bribe a nominated MLA for voting in favour of its nominee in MLC elections.
The issue became quite a sensation in both Telugu States. The investigation authorities said that the voice that was recorded on the phone which promised a bribe to nominated MLA Stephenson was that of former CM N Chandrababu Naidu.
In the case, Revanth, then part of the TDP, was arrested as he acted as an emissary of the TDP and was caught on camera while offering a bribe of `50 lakh to the nominated MLA. After that, Revanth began using his phone sparingly.
BJP MLA Eatala Rajender who received the SSC paper on WhatsApp from accused Prasanth was also summoned by Warangal police to record his statement. Eatala stated that he doesn’t know how to use WhatsApp in the first place. He said he used his mobile phones to either make calls or receive them.