Notice to DGP's office over RTI query on phone tapping

Times of India: Gurgaon: Friday, 17 July 2015.

State information commissioner Urvashi Gulati has issued a show-cause notice to the Haryana DGP's office, asking why a penalty should not be imposed for not giving information under the RTI Act, 2005. It has also directed that the information be provided to an applicant within 15 days.

The action came in the wake of a complaint to the commission by RTI applicant Aseem Takyar. He had sought information regarding the number of snooping and phone tappings ordered by the DGP in the past three years. His RTI query has been pending with the DGP's office since August last year.

"The commission noted that the applicant is seeking the number of cases in which the public authority has directed the service providers to snoop and tap the landline and mobile phone numbers during the last three years. He sought information specifically related to the office of the DGP and should have been furnished by the SPIO (state public information officer) of the office of the DGP as there are guidelines laid down by the government of India which regulate the tapping of the telephones or mobiles to facilitate investigation or control crime," read the notice.

It added, "It would not interfere with investigation or security as (only) the number of cases is required to be mentioned. Prima facie, the commission observes that the respondent SPIO has not discharged his obligations under the Act diligently which attracts the penal provision of section 20(1) of the RTI Act, 2005."

Gulati has also asked the DGP's office to submit a report by July 20. Takyar, however, said he was yet to hear from the DGP's office. "This order was passed by the state information commissioner on May 29 and I was supposed to hear from the DGP's office within the next 15 days. However, that has still not happened and it just goes to show that the authorities are not taking even the commission seriously."

He added, "I was forced to approach the commission after all my RTI queries were stonewalled by the police department in the past one year. I am not sure if my query on snooping and phone tapping would ever be answered by the authorities as many secrets may tumble out of the closet."