Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has been summoned by the Mumbai Police in a phone tapping case, news agency ANI reported. Fadnavis, the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, said that he will appear before police at the given date and record his statement.
"Mumbai Police has sent me a notice under Section 160 CrPC, asking me to appear before them at BKC Cyber Police Station at 11 am tomorrow (Sunday). I will go there and record my statement," Fadnavis said.
“As the LoP, I have the privilege to not reveal where I got the information from, but I was a home minister at one point and I understand my responsibility. If an offence was falsely registered and if the city police want some help, I will respond,” he added.
The state government had earlier told a court that Fadnavis is a witness in the case registered over illegal phone tapping that allegedly took place when IPS officer Rashmi Shukla was heading the state's intelligence department.
"Yes, Fadnavis is a witness in the case. His statement will be recorded in the due course of law," Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Misar, appearing for the state, said.
Fadnavis also targetted the Uddhav Thackeray government and accused it of suppressing the case and shielding the accused.
“Had the government caught the scamsters and those who are being probed by the CBI on time and not brushed the matter under the carpet for six months, then I need not have exposed it. The government wants to protect them and somebody who exposed this is being called to the police station,” Fadnavis said.
Notably, Fadnavis had earlier cited a letter purportedly written by Shukla to the then Director General of Police about alleged corruption in police transfers.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena has said that Fadnavis should cooperate with the police to arrive at a logical conclusion in the case.
"Police is doing its duty. He has been summoned by the police based on the merit in the case," Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said. "The state is not using any agencies to target the Opposition leaders. This is Centre's tactic," she added.
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