Phone Tapping: DGP writing letters instead of taking action, says Naidu

Vijayawada: The TDP national president and former Chief Minister, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, on 18 August, said the AP director-general of police, Gowtham Sawang, was writing a letter seeking proof of phone tapping when he should be taking action.

Earlier, Mr. Naidu had written to the Prime Minister urging him to order an inquiry into the alleged phone tapping of Opposition leaders, journalists, and judges by the YSRCP-led state government.

Mr. Naidu said it was laughable that the DGP was writing a counter-letter seeking evidence when he should be verifying the facts. He said it was surprising that Mr. Sawang wrote a reply after Mr. Naidu had written to the Prime Minister. The TDP chief said he had written many letters and submitted memoranda regarding false cases filed against his party leaders, but the DGP had never cared to respond. It is now the duty of the DGP to clarify what action he has taken against the culprits responsible for the attacks and false cases against TDP leaders, Mr. Naidu said.

He also asked why the DGP had been silent when his visit to Visakhapatnam was obstructed. He said that when he was visiting Atmakur, the front gates of his residence were tied with ropes to prevent him from coming out of his house. Mr. Naidu claimed that due to the DGP's actions he had to stand and read the law before the court.

Mr. Naidu alleged that now even the phones of doctors were being tapped. The frontline warriors will be afraid to answer phone calls from their patients for fear of receiving threats, he claimed.