HC seeks Centre, CBI response on plea for SIT probe into phone tapping of NSA Ajit Doval

Reports of Doval`s phone being tapped by the CBI to obtain sensitive information emerged in November 2018.

NEW DELHI: Spelling more trouble for former Central Bureau of Investigation chief Alok Verma, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought a response from the government and the probing agency in the alleged illegal phone tapping of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. The court issued a notice to Centre over plea to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the alleged case.

In November last year, during the ongoing CBI vs CBI row, reports of Doval's phone being tapped by the probing agency on Verma's directive emerged.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao issued a notice to both the government and the CBI, seeking its response on the plea which contended that such activities are "very dangerous for the country". 

The petition, filed by Sarthak Chaturvedi, has alleged that some CBI officials have abused their powers by violating the existing guidelines on phone tapping and surveillance. 

It has questioned as to whether permission was received for tapping the phone of Doval and others by the CBI.

With agency inputs