Phone tapping issue: BJP leader seeks legal action against LDF MLA Anvar

PTI, Thiruvananthapuram: Senior BJP leader and former union minister V Muraleedharan has sought legal action against ruling LDF legislator P V Anvar for allegedly tapping phone conversations illegally. Muraleedharan sent a letter to the Chief Secretary demanding action against the Nilambur MLA in this regard, a statement said on Monday. Anvar, who had raised grave allegations against some top IPS officers, claimed during a recent press meet that he had tapped phone calls to collect evidence against them.

He had also accused the state police of tapping the phone calls of ministers, political leaders, and journalists. In the letter, the BJP leader sought clarification from the government about whether it has given permission to tap phone calls in the state. Muraleedharan urged authorities to release the details of officials who are authorised to tap the phone calls if any. He also pointed out that phone tapping without the permission of the Home department is "unconstitutional" and a violation of civil rights.

The BJP leader sent the letter to the government days after Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had sought a report from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding Anvar's allegations that the police tapped the phone calls of ministers, along with other "revelations" implicating certain police officers in illegal activities. An official source had revealed that the Governor sent a letter to the chief minister, seeking an update on the government's actions regarding the alleged "serious offences." Raj Bhavan viewed the alleged phone tapping of ministers by the police as a violation of the law and Supreme Court guidelines, the sources said.