Phone-tapping an 'unpardonable crime': Yeddyurappa

Bangalore, July 25: Terming as "an unpardonable crime" the phone-tapping of Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today (Jul 25) sought an inquiry into the issue by a Central team and denied his hand and that of the ruling BJP in it.

Returning home after a six-day family vacation in Mauritius, Yeddyurappa told reporters at the Bangalore Airport that he was "very much hurt" about the phone-tapping issue.

He said had the Lokayukta reported the matter to the Central government, an inquiry would have taken place by now.

"Even now, it's not too late. I am going to request the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) to send one important team to inquire into the phone-tapping", he said. "Our party and me do not have such a character to do this unpardonable crime (phone-tapping)".

The Lokayukta, who has indicted Yeddyurappa, his four ministers and others in the mining scam in the leaked report that has raised a political storm, had claimed last week that his phone had been tapped.

Karnataka government has asserted it had not ordered tapping of telephone of the Lokayukta, who on Saturday hinted at the possible involvement of a political party behind it.

PTI