Phone tap case: Devendra Fadnavis cries foul, says his grilling was ‘out-of-syllabus’

Fadnavis addresses the media after recording his statement on Sunday. Pic/Ashish Raje

The Crime Branch's cyber cell, on Sunday, recorded the statement of former chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis in connection with an alleged leak of confidential information. Cops visited Fadnavis's Malabar Hill home and spent 2 hours there. Fadnavis said he was treated like an "accused" during the recording of his statement. He also said he was asked questions different from the ones sent to him earlier.

At 11 am, DCP Hemrajsingh Rajput and investigating officer Nitin Jadhav visited the former CM's Sagar bungalow and recorded his statement in the case registered by the state intelligence department last year.

The action comes days after IPS officer Sanjay Pandey was made the commissioner of police. The BJP and MVA are locked in a showdown, accusing each other of misusing government agencies.

Police officers arrive at Fadnavis's home to record his statement on Sunday. Pic/PTI

Fadnavis was summoned by the cyber cell on March 11, with its notice saying it had sent him questionnaires earlier but the ex-CM had failed to respond. Sharing a copy of the notice on Twitter, Fadnavis had said he would report to the BKC cyber police station on March 13 at 11 am. Later, he tweeted saying he was informed that cops would visit him instead.

"The questions sent to me earlier were different from what I was being asked today. This time questions were being asked to me like I am an accused and have violated the Official Secrets Act. I have told them that I am a whistleblower and I should be protected under the Whistle Blowers Protection Act because whatever I have shared is being investigated," said Fadnavis.

Last year, Fadnavis had shared a pen drive and transcripts of phone recordings to claim corruption by then home minister Anil Deshmukh over transfers and postings of police officers. The phones were allegedly tapped by IPS Rashmi Shukla, who headed the state intelligence department. It was alleged Shukla had tapped phones without authorisation.

While the CBI is probing the allegations levelled by Fadnavis, the state has registered a case under the Official Secrets Act saying confidential data was leaked. Though not named in the FIR, Shukla has recorded her statement in the case.

Fadnavis said, "I have not shared any information with anyone. I cannot share the details with the state government as the allegations are against them. The CBI is investigating it, that's why I have shared the details with them. If the government is trying to trap me, this won't happen. I will dig out more scams. I am doing this as a responsible leader, not like Sanjay Raut who takes press conferences as he is scared."

‘No action for 6 months'

Fadanvis said the state government sat on a report on the transfer and posting scam, for six months. "Had I not shared this [info] with the Union government, the entire scam wouldn't have come to notice."

Earlier, a magistrate court had asked the Union government to return the pen drive and the documents, given by Fadnavis, to the state government. As per the cyber cell, Fadanvis is their star witness in the case.

Considering that a lot of BJP functionaries had assembled near the Sagar bungalow to show their solidarity with Fadnavis, the Mumbai police deployed heavy security near Sagar. "This government protects those who are having links with Dawood and harassing opposition leaders because they are exposing corrupt practices of the government," said senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar.

2hrs
Time cops took to record the ex-CM's statement