Phone Tapping Allegations Against H.D. Kumaraswamy Has Created A Political Storm
THE WEEK|September 01, 2019

Allegations that H.D. Kumaraswamy ordered the tapping of his adversaries’ phones have created a political storm in Karnataka

Prathima Nandakumar
Phone Tapping Allegations Against H.D. Kumaraswamy Has Created A Political Storm

Is former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy guilty of doing a Richard Nixon to save his government? The BJP sure believes so. On August 19, the state government, led by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, asked the CBI to investigate allegations that there was illegal tapping of phones of political leaders, their relatives and government officials during the Congress-JD(S) coalition rule under Kumaraswamy. The scandal struck on August 8, after an audio recording of a conversation—allegedly between senior IPS officer Bhaskar Rao (now Bengaluru police commissioner) and powerbroker Faraz Ahmed, said to be close to the Congress—was leaked to the media. In the recording, the person purported to be Rao is heard lobbying for the post of city police commissioner, and seeking the “blessings” of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her former political secretary Ahmed Patel. The conversation happened sometime before Alok Kumar’s appointment as city police commissioner in June.

On August 2, the BJP government had replaced Alok Kumar with Rao, then ADGP, Karnataka State Reserve Police; Kumar had been the city’s top cop for only 47 days.

An inquiry into the leak exposed the silent tussle for plum postings in the police department, with senior officers allegedly tapping phones and leaking private conversations. On August 12, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil submitted an interim report to Director General and Inspector General of Police Neelamani N. Raju, saying that an officer of ADGP rank had a role in the case.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 01, 2019 من THE WEEK.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 01, 2019 من THE WEEK.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من THE WEEK مشاهدة الكل
Pressure Points
THE WEEK India

Pressure Points

Author and MP Shashi Tharoor and motivational speaker Gaur Gopal Das on how to find healing and meaning in today's world

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024
War Over Wounded Earth
THE WEEK India

War Over Wounded Earth

For the BJP andthe Congress, the ravaged farmlands of Vidarbha represent a cxitieal battleground in their larger struggle to win Maharashtra

time-read
9 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Say no to continual elections
THE WEEK India

Say no to continual elections

Following the recommendations of a high-level committee led by former president Ram Nath Kovind to streamline the widely scattered schedule of national, state and local elections, the Union cabinet has reportedly approved two constitutional amendment bills for likely introduction in Parliament. Predictably, the return of the ‘one nation, one election’ issue to news has set off a flurry of objections by several opposition leaders.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Fabulously, fashionably funny
THE WEEK India

Fabulously, fashionably funny

The third season of the Karan Johar-produced Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives dropped on Netflix, but articles criticising the show appear in some news site or the other almost daily. If it is so bad, why keep writing about it? And if it is so bad, why would the superpowers at Netflix, who are harder to meet than the prime minister, commission the show season after season?

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024
All in the family
THE WEEK India

All in the family

The Chitaras have been passing down the secret art of Mata Ni Pachedi through generations for more than 400 years now

time-read
6 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Raise a toast to Vidya Balan
THE WEEK India

Raise a toast to Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan is a New Year baby. At 45, she is aglow in the most beautiful way, having won the hearts and admiration of countless fans across the world, who watched the supremely talented actor take a public tumble on stage at a high-profile promotional event recently, sharing the platform with no less a dancer than the eternally graceful Madhuri Dixit.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Death no bar
THE WEEK India

Death no bar

Being alive is not a legal requirement to be elected president of the United States

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024
The Lotus POTUS
THE WEEK India

The Lotus POTUS

You should visit us one of these days— there is so much excitement in our USA! No, I don’t mean the famous USA—the Ulhasnagar Sindhi Association of Mumbai.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 10, 2024
RAY OF HOPE
THE WEEK India

RAY OF HOPE

Actor and cancer survivor Lisa Ray talks to oncologist Dr Jame Abraham about inner strength and her surrogacy journey

time-read
5 mins  |
November 10, 2024
LEVERAGE AI TO ENHANCE WORK
THE WEEK India

LEVERAGE AI TO ENHANCE WORK

AT THE WEEK Health Summit, Siddharth Bagga, head (retail, CPG and health care), Google Cloud, elaborated on the significant work that Google has been doing in health care through artificial intelligence (AI).

time-read
2 mins  |
November 10, 2024