TNI Bureau: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik sought to put all rumours and speculations related to phone tapping into rest, saying the government has not intercepted the telephones or mobile phones of any politicians or senior bureaucrats.

Mr. Patnaik categorically said in the Assembly that there was no phone tapping of any MLA, MP, IAS or IPS officer or anyone who was not involved in any criminal of Maoist activities.

He also clarified that the state government had ordered phone tapping of 4.620 telephones in the last four years and they yielded positive results. “The state government gave the permission for legal interception of the telephones and mobile phones under Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885,” he said.

However, the Opposition Congress was not convinced with the CM’s reply and staged a walkout from the Assembly.