FIR on phone tapping, Maharashtra info leak row

MUMBAI: The Mumbai Cyber Crime Police on Friday registered an FIR against an “unknown person” under the Official Secrets Act 1923 and the Telegraph Act 1885 in connection with phone tapping and leaking of confidential information allegedly involving IPS officer Rashmi Shukla.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis defended his decision of speaking on Shukla’s phone interceptions about the transfer of IPS and non-IPS officers and claimed he did not share any confidential report, but only the covering letter sent by Shukla.

“The original report was leaked by NCP minister Nawab Malik in his press conference. Malik has openly put this confidential report in public,” Fadnavis said adding that he has all proof and will present it in the court as and when it requires.

However, Malik countered this and said Fadnavis was the first to leak the report to public in his press conference. “An FIR has been registered and the truth will come out,” Malik added. Meanwhile, Fadnavis commenting on chief secretary Sitaram Kunte’s report against Shukla said it looked as if ministers Nawab Malik and Jitendra Awhad had prepared the report. Both Malik and Awhad refuted this and said Fadnavis is restless after the filing of first information report.