Bengaluru: In a sudden swoop down on Thursday, CBI sleuths searched the residence of former Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Alok Kumar in connection with alleged phone tapping of politicians and bureaucrats during the tenure of the Congress-JD(S) government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy.
The agency teams were looking for a pen drive, the electronic evidence that is believed to have details of purported phone interceptions of over 300 people as alleged by rebel JD(S) MLA A.H. Vishwanath. The officials did not reveal if the teams were able to trace the pen drive. The CBI also questioned Kumar as it wants to know if the tapping indeed took place and on whose orders.
As the CBI raided the office and residence of former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Alok Kumar on Thursday in connection with a phone tapping case, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said he is not worried as he has no connection with the matter. "Let them raid whoever they want to. Why are you asking me? How am I connected to it? Kumaraswamy told reporters in reaction to the raids on Kumar. When it was pointed out that the searches pertained to phone tapping during his tenure as chief minister, Kumaraswamy said, "Everybody does it during their tenure. If they investigate how the phone tapping happened in the past, then why should I be worried about it?" Kumaraswamy said he has no reason to get worried because he has no connection with the matter. To a question that the CBI may question him, the JDS leader said "Let them come. As per the law of the land, anyone can be questioned and investigated. Why should I panic?" CBI sleuths on Thursday morning swooped down on the residence and office of Alok Kumar. Police said about 20 CBI officials reached Kumar's residence at Adugodi and questioned him. They reportedly looked for some pen drive and computers. While confirming the raids, a CBI officer declined to divulge details.
