We had no role in tap, says Ashoka

BANGALORE: The BJP government on Friday firmly denied its role in the raging controversy over the hacking of Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde’s telephones, that is suspected to have led to the leakage of the report on illegal mining.
“The government had no role to play whatsoever,’’ home minister R Ashoka reportedly told governor HR Bhardwaj, when the latter summoned him to discuss the issue at Raj Bhavan on Friday evening.
Ashoka reportedly told the governor that the government is ready to order an inquiry into phonetapping, provided Justice Hegde lodges a formal complaint with police.
According to officials who accompanied the home minister, Bhardwaj sought to know the government’s role in the phone-tapping scandal, as alleged by Justice Hegde a day after his report on illegal mining was leaked to the media.
Emerging out of Raj Bhavan after a 30-minute meeting, Ashoka told reporters that his conversation with the governor was simply limited to the promotion of conferring IPS cadre on an officer in Raj Bhavan and had nothing to do with the Lokayukta’s report.
Asked why the governor had asked him to come all the way to Raj Bhavan to discuss such a trivial issue, the home minister shot back: “There is nothing wrong on the part of the governor to ask me to come to Raj Bhavan. After all, he is a constitutional head. And this subject pertained to the home department and governor’s office.’’
Cong for CBI probe into phone-tapping
The Congress has demanded a CBI probe into Lokayukta Justice Santosh N Hegde’s allegations that his phone was being tapped for the past three to four months. Holding CM BS Yeddyurappa responsible for the phone-tapping, KPCC president G Parameshwara told reporters on Friday: “It’s serious. The case should be handed over to the CBI.’’ He had a meeting with party leaders here on Friday. Referring to former CM Ramakrishna Hegde who resigned over the phone-tapping scandal, he said Yeddyurappa too should emulate Hegde.
MY PHONE TAPPED TOO: SIDDU
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said his phone had also been tapped. “The intelligence department comes under the CM, who has ordered the tapping. This is a serious offence under Article 19 and 21 of the Constitution.’’
The Congress will stage a symbolic protest in Bangalore on Saturday on this issue.
Parameshwara said his party plans to take action against his partymen if they are indicted in the Lokayukta report.