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| Scam season may push phone tapping upward | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
AGGENCY
New Delhi Nov 22, With the Adarsh Housing Society scam, the CWG scandal and the 2G spectrum scam breaking out, interception or tapping of phones and e-mail accounts would reach higher levels.
Even as the 2G scam-media tapes are doing the rounds, there are about 5,000 to 6,000 telephones being tapped on an average across the country by the Central investigation and intelligence agencies on a daily basis.
Sources feel that with the Adarsh Housing Society scam, the CWG scandal and the 2G spectrum scam breaking out, interception or tapping of phones and e-mail accounts would reach higher levels and many more details, indicating involvement of more persons in them, could tumble out as different investigation agencies go ahead with the probe.
“Of these, a majority relate to terror networks and 10 to 12 per cent pertain to economic offences, including those involved in hawaladealings,’’ the sources said. Intelligence and security agencies often keep tabs on activities of terrorist groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir as well the North-East and Naxal groups operating in seven States.
In India, telephone tapping has to be approved by a designated authority. The Central government or State government is empowered to order interception of messages as per Section 5 of Indian Telegraphic Act 1885. There is also a provision for a review committee to supervise the order of interception. The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in general prohibits interception of communications by a third party, with exceptions related to government agencies.
For the Central intelligence and investigation agencies, the designated authority happens to be the Union Home Secretary while for the States it is the State Home Secretary. The permission for interception or tapping is given for an initial period of 60 days and subsequently comes up for renewal before the designated authority. There are nearly 690 million mobile and landline telephone subscribers in India.
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