NSA Doval, Asthana's phones not intercepted: CBI tells Delhi HC

New Delhi: Phone calls of former CBI officer Rakesh Asthana and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were not intercepted at any point of time, the CBI told the Delhi High Court in its response to a plea that sought direction to constitute a SIT to look into the abuse of power by some officials of the investigating agency by illegally tapping calls.

“It is submitted that the telephone calls of Ajit Doval and Rakesh Asthana were not intercepted at any point of time by CBI. It is further submitted that CBI never put any telephone number under surveillance illegally,” the agency said in its reply.

The reply was filed before a bench of the High Court headed by Chief Justice of Delhi Rajendra Menon.

The CBI also submitted that the Centre has already framed rules and comprehensive guidelines in the form of Indian Telegraph Rules in the light of directions given by Supreme Court on phone tapping.

The petition filed by advocate Sarthak Chaturvedi sought direction to constitute a Special Investigating Team (SIT) or direct the Centre to investigate the abuse of powers by "some public servants of CBI for having committed an offence of illegally intercepting phone calls of individuals without following due process of law and by abusing and misusing powers by a public servant for their ulterior motives."

The petitioner had further claimed, "Some public servants working in CBI for their ulterior motives abuse their power," alleges the petitioner. He had also cited the example of a case involving former Special CBI Director Rakesh Asthana, which was registered on the instruction of ousted CBI Director Alok Verma.

"But, uncontrolled and unaccountable powers may prejudice the same national security sought to be protected. The aforesaid facts reveal a violation of privacy and unaccountable/abuse and misuse of powers," the petition further claimed.