Rashmi Shukla should have been transferred after Maha Vikas Aghadi government came to power: Sanjay Raut

With allegations of illegal phone tapping of legislators and other leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi during government formation, Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut said that IPS officer Rashmi Shukla should have been transferred after the MVA government came to power. Raut claimed that he and NCP chief Sharad Pawar were under phone surveillance during the government formation period.

Speaking to mediapersons, Raut alleged that then State Intelligence Department Commissioner Rashmi Shukla contacted Rajendra Yadravkar, other independent legislators and those who had been elected from smaller parties, and asked them not to go with the Uddhav Thackeray government and to side with the BJP.

“The police department was issuing threats and messages to them that their files are ready. I was surprised that the lady officer continued in the same post for the next five to six months even after the MVA government came to power. One should not keep so much faith in the administration,” said Raut in response to a question on the illegal phone tapping of independent legislator Rajendra Yadravkar.

He also alleged that his phone, and those of others involved in government formation, including Pawar’s and a few journalists’, were tapped.

The Sena’s chief spokesperson further said that three to four officers, who were “sympathetic towards the previous BJP government”, were noticed by MVA leaders including Pawar. “At the time of formation of the government, Pawar was not in favour of allowing those officials to continue on the same post. Had action been taken at that time, the leader of the opposition would not have got the opportunity to come to Delhi with those documents,” said Raut, adding that the people in power must have learnt a lesson from the incident.

Commenting on why the government did not take action against officers, Raut said that the people in power may have thought not to be vindictive with the administration and might have given them a chance. “The government should decide on taking action against such officers,” he added.

On Thursday, Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte submitted a report to the Chief Minister stating that Shukla “deliberately misled” the government to obtain permission for phone surveillance to carry out a “roving” investigation against private individuals.