Mumbai police team reaches Fadnavis' residence to record his statement in phone tapping case

The Mumbai cyber police had issued a notice to Mr. Fadnavis, asking him to appear before them on March 13 in connection with the case

A team of the BKC cyber police here on March 13 reached senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis's residence to record his statement in connection with a case of alleged illegal tapping of phones, an official said.

Heavy security was deployed outside the home of former Maharashtra chief minister Fadnavis in Malabar Hill area of south Mumbai, where the team, comprising Assistant Commissioner of Police Nitin Jadhav and two inspectors, reached around noon, he said.

The Mumbai cyber police had earlier issued a notice to Mr. Fadnavis, asking him to appear before them on March 13 in connection with the case. Mr. Fadnavis, however, on March 12, said a senior police officer called to inform him that police will visit his residence to take the required information and there was no need for him to visit the police station.

Phones of political leaders, including State Congress chief Nana Patole, minister Bachchu Kadu, former MLA Ashish Deshmukh, former MP Sanjay Kakade and others were tapped illegally by IPS officer Rashmi Shukla, when she was the state intelligence chief, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil had alleged last month.

"In the notice issued to Mr. Fadnavis, police have said that questionnaires were earlier sent to him in sealed envelopes in connection with the case, but he did not respond to them. Besides, notices were also issued to him twice to seek his reply, but he had again failed to reply," the police official said.

In addition to this, three letters were sent to Mr. Fadnavis, reminding him to appear before the police. However, he had failed to give any reply, he said.