Only authorised agencies can tap phones, says govt

The response came on a question on whether national or international agencies are authorised to monitor and decrypt any digital information, including WhatsApp conversations. Representation pic

The government on Tuesday said in Lok Sabha that only authorised law enforcement agencies in the country are empowered to tap telephones or intercept and monitor any electronically transmitted information. Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra said this to a question on whether national or international agencies are authorised to monitor and decrypt any digital information, including WhatsApp conversations. The reply comes at a time when the MVA dispensation in Maharashtra has locked horns with the opposition BJP over the tapping of phones of its leaders.

"Only authorised law enforcement agencies in the country, are empowered to intercept, monitor or decrypt or cause to be intercepted or monitored or decrypted, any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource as per legal provisions of section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000," he said replying to a written question. The minister said safeguards and review mechanism for telephone tapping have also been prescribed in the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception and Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009.

3,400 communal riots in 2016-2020

Nearly 3,400 communal riot cases were registered in the country between 2016 and 2020, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The minister also said that 2.76 lakh rioting cases were registered in the country during the said period. Quoting National Crime Records Bureau data, Rai said 857 communal or religious riot cases were registered in 2020, up from 438 in 2019.

Explain 12k pending plaints: Panel to CVC

A House committee has asked the Central Vigilance Commission to explain why over 12,000 complaints were pending, some for over three years. The panel, in a report, said 72 vigilance cases, including those with serious allegations, are pending sanction for prosecution beyond the stipulated time limit of three months.

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