The Reliance Communications coming under Supreme Court scrutiny on the tapping of former SP leader Amar Singh’s phone on alleged “forged” letters of Delhi government and the Delhi police, on Monday told the apex court that the company could not be blamed as police were fully aware of the interception.
Reliance Communications filed an affidavit through its counsel Ram Jethmalani after the apex court on Friday had asked the Centre why its licence was not cancelled for tapping the phone on “forged” letters without cross checking with the police and the Delhi administration. Reliance’s nodal officer Col. (rtd) A.K. Sachdeva in the affidavit said the company “acted with perfect honesty and care and caution required by the rules.
There was no reason to suspect the genuineness of the communication of October 22, 2005 received from Ranjit Narayan, joint commissioner of police.”
On the basis of the letter of Narayan, Mr Singh’s phone was put on surveillance and was intercepted for 15 days but stopped after the 15 days period was over as under rule police could not order interception beyond this.
In separate letters of October 26, 2005 and November 7, 2005 sent to Peter Bara, deputy secretary home, Delhi government and Karnail Singh, joint commission of police details of all the phones being intercepted, including that of Mr Singh, were provided to them. Subsequently the company received a letter form Delhi government principal secretary home, Narayanswamy “authorising” interception of Mr Singh’s phone for 30 more days. However, the Delhi police had said the letters were forged.
But the company submitted that once it had made Delhi government and the Police aware of the interception of Mr Singh’s phone and got further permission for tapping the same for 90 more days “there was no reason to suspect the authenticity of their either of the communications.” Reliance said that it had been receiving communications from joint commissioner Ranjit Narayan on regular basis.