Rashmi Shukla case: court asks cops to conduct further probe after they submit closure report

PUNE, (PTI): A court here has directed Pune Police to investigate further an alleged phone tapping case against senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla after the police filed a closure report citing lack of evidence. Shukla was accused of illegally tapping the phones of Congress leader Nana Patole.

”The court has directed the police to further investigate the case on two counts and resubmit a report. We will do the necessary investigation and resubmit a report,” a senior official told PTI on Wednesday on the condition of anonymity.

He did not divulge any more details stating that the police were yet to receive the order copy.

A case was registered against Shukla at Bundgarden police station here in February 2022 under section 26 of the Indian Telegraph Act when the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government was in power in Maharashtra.

It was alleged that the phones of Nana Patole, who is now the state Congress chief, were tapped illegally during the previous BJP-led government when Shukla was Pune police commissioner.

Section 26 of the Telegraph Act deals with ”unlawful interception of messages”.

Shukla is now on central deputation as additional director general of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Hyderabad.

The previous Sena-led government had also accused her of tapping the phones of officials and politicians illegally by misleading higher authorities when she headed the state intelligence department. (PTI)