“The Ministry of Home Affairs strongly denies media reports alleging tapping of telephones of some judges. There is no truth in these reports. These reports are baseless and unfounded,” MHA spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia said in a statement.
The denial came after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal created ripples by alleging that there is a “widespread” fear that the phones of judges are being tapped and said if it is true, then it is the biggest assault on the independence of the judiciary.
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has also denied the allegations, saying the independence of judiciary is fundamental and uncompromising for the Modi government.
Kejriwal made the allegations while addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of Delhi High Court here in which Modi and Chief Justice of India T S Thakur were present.
The Union Home Secretary is the competent authority for sanctioning of tapping of telephones and all such orders have to be ratified later by a high-level committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary.
PTI