Notice to TN Govt on phone tapping

Chennai, Nov 15: The Madras High Court issued notice to the Tamil Nadu Government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on November 13, seeking to restrain it from permitting any private agencies including D3D Technologies Private Limited, to do telephone tapping of citizens on behalf of the State.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice A K Ganguly and Justice F M Ibrahim Kalifullah, posted after three weeks, further hearing of the PIL filed by advocate.

P Pugalendi also sought to ensure that the norms prescribed by the Supreme Court with regard to telephone tapping were scrupulously followed.

According to the petitioner, D3D technologies in its company profile, stated that a number of reputed government law enforcement agencies were its clients. All of them have universally accredited its technological innovations, quality, timely delivery and post sale product support. Under the column, clients, the company had given a number of governmental organisations, state and central, including the Police Department in the State.

When the powers to tap the telephone could be exercised only in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India and security of the state or in the interest of public order, a private agency can never be allowed to exercise such a power, the petitioner contended.

UNI