Sanjay Raut summoned by Mumbai Police in phone-tapping case; trains guns on Rashmi Shukla

In a significant development on Friday, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut was summoned by Colaba Police Station to record his statement in a phone-tapping case. Addressing a media briefing, he alleged that his phone was tapped at time of MVA government formation in 2019. Claiming that former State Intelligence Commissioner Rashmi Shukla had tapped his phone at behest of Union government, he reiterated that central investigative ncies were being misused.

Sanjay Raut remarked, " day before yesterday, I asked a question to Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha- 'Don't central investigative ncies work under your pressure? Look into my eyes and tell us that central investigative ncies are t misused'. On this, he responded, 'I am ready to talk about looking straight into your eyes'. n, I raised issue of how our phones were tapped. You kw Rashmi Shukla was working on whose directions back n! Even today, she is in Central government service."

"When government was being formed, re was an attempt to pressurise us by tapping our phones. This was a matter of our safety. Even n, our phones were tapped with help of Union government. That's why I have problem in appearing before police or any investigative ncy if I am called to record my statement," Shiv Sena spokesperson added. Raut is unlikely to appear before Mumbai Police today, ANI reported. 

Phone-tapping case against Rashmi Shukla

Amid ongoing faceoff between MVA government and BJP,  Pune Police registered an FIR against IPS officer Rashmi Shukla for allegedly illegally tapping phones of key Maharashtra politicians. As per reports, she has been booked under Section 26 of Indian Telegraph Act. Speaking to media on this case, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil explained that action was taken against her on basis of a report submitted by a committee comprising former DGP Sanjay Pandey, state intelligence commissioner and additional CP (special branch).

It had initiated a probe into instances of illegal phone tapping during Devendra Fadnavis' tenure as Chief Minister of Maharashtra. According to Walse Patil, Shukla tapped phones of leaders such as Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole, Bachchu Kadu,  Sanjay Kakade and Ashish Deshmukh. Shukla is currently on central deputation and is serving as  additional director general of Central Reserve Police Force in Hyderabad. So far, police has recorded statement of former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Eknath Khadse in connection with this case.