CBI raids house of ex-bengaluru top cop

BENGALURU: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday raided former Bengaluru police commissioner Alok Kumar’s official residence and office in connection with alleged tapping of phones of politicians and bureaucrats during former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy tenure.

Karnataka police chief Neelamani M Raju ordered an inquiry into the alleged tapping last month after a purported telephonic conversation of Kumar’s successor, Bhaskar Rao, was leaked to a TV channel.

Rao was allegedly heard lobbying for the commissioner’s post in the purported conversation.

News agency Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that about 20 CBI officials raided Kumar’s residence in Bengaluru’s Adugodi and questioned him.

They reportedly looked for some pen drive and computers, the PTI reported and added an unnamed CBI officer confirmed the raids but declined to divulge details.

Several politicians have complained that their phones were also allegedly tapped during Kumaraswamy’s tenure.

Kumaraswamy’s Congressjanata Dal (Secular) government collapsed in July after the resignations of 15 rebel lawmakers.

A purported audio clip of disqualified former lawmaker AH Vishwanath, too, was leaked in the run-up to the collapse of Kumaraswamy’s government. Vishwanath, who was purportedly heard saying in the clip, alleged phones of many leaders across party lines were tapped as per Kumaraswamy’s directions.

Chief minister BS Yediyurappa of the BJP, who succeeded Kumaraswamy, handed over the probe into the alleged tapping to the CBI in August.