All you wanted to know about phone-tapping
CBI, IB, RAW, ED, NTRO, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Narcotics Control Bureau, Income-Tax and state police are permitted to intercept. Legal Tapping
The Setting: A room closely monitored by a CCTV with three to four workstations, desktop monitors and headphones. There are one or two AC-sized servers, or recording instruments, tied with cables provided by telecom service providers. The entry to the room is restricted except for designated officials who need to use biometrics before entering. Equipment is imported and settings customised by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who get the contract. Cost of a server that records the conversation is Rs 10-15 lakh.
Snooping Agencies
Section 5(2) of the amended Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, permits following agencies to intercept in case of public emergency or in the interest of public safety. These are: CBI, IB, RAW, ED, National Technical Research Organisation, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Narcotics Control Bureau, Income-Tax & state police.
Commanding Officer: Field officials of enforcement agencies initiate the process of tapping. But final command is by Union home secretary in case of Central govt agencies & state home secretary for state police.
Oversight Mechanism: Every authority has an Internal Evaluation Cell to examine outcomes. The highest body to monitor lawful telephone interception is Oversight Committee headed by cabinet secretary.
Stripped & Empowered: Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) was stripped of intercepting powers. Ex-revenue secretary KM Chandrasekhar initiated the process of empowering I-T to intercept.
Loopholes: In government departments witch-hunting does take place & phone tapping is no exception. CEIB created a row when it reportedly tapped a senior official's phone. Also, nodal officers of telecom service providers, including the private sector, know whose phones are being tapped as government sends them a formal request. The government is now working to end this human interface between the government & telecom service providers.
Illegal Tapping
The Setting: A car loaded with laptop-sized phone-interception machine is parked near the target's residence or office. The phone number of the target is fed into the machine. Once the target takes a call, it automatically gets recorded in the machine. These machines are illegally imported into India and sold at a premium. New machines where one can feed the voice of the target are now in use.
Punishment: It could be 3 years of imprisonment under Section 26 (b) of the Indian Telegraph Act. The aggrieved person can file an FIR and also move the Human Rights Commission as unauthorised tapping is violation of right to privacy.
9,000: The average number of orders for interception of telephones being issued by the Centre every month. It would be much higher if state government orders are included.
180: Number of days for which a phone can be tapped. After every 60 days, a fresh permission needs to be taken.
72: Number of hours for which authorised agencies can tap a phone without permission in an emergency situation.
But: If permission is denied, the records of tapped conversations need to be destroyed in 48 hours.
Phone tapping: The tap, tapped and tapper
VTPs (Very Tapped Persons) are those whose private telephonic conversations interest the government or political opponents or business rivals. Connections are what matter most in Delhi, so it is not surprising that the latest phone-tapping issue — alleged unauthorised snooping on a senior Opposition leader — has become such a cause celebre in the Capital.
Delhi's powerati have come to realise, after a number of tapping controversies, that either you are tapped and, therefore, somebody very important, or you are untapped and, therefore, not really important.
VTPs (Very Tapped Persons) are those whose private telephonic conversations interest the government or political opponents or business rivals. Even in the lowly profession of journalism, being tapped is a badge of honour. Journos who are never tapped by officialspooks will never give you sensational exclusives, goes the theory. Here's the thing, though. In all the excitement about the tapped, everyone's forgetting about the tapper.
There won't be a list of the tapped without an army of tappers. It's the tapper who's the real elite. While we frequently get to know who's been tapped, we seldom get to know who did the tapping. It's that business house, whispers someone.
It's that shadowy department in that ministry, whispers someone else. It's that politician's cousin's close companion's business partner, those with a taste for more drama would insist. But we never know for sure. If you are miffed that you have never been tapped, try becoming a tapper — and laugh at the tapped.
Five MLAs in Assam complain of phone tapping
GUWAHATI: Five congress MLAs have complained of phone tapping. Five MLAs have complained the speaker, Pranab Gogoi that their phone lines are being tapped.
On Wednesday Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) legislator,Phani Bhushan chowdhury in state assembly said, "Phone tapping is a security threat to the legislator and Speaker must intervene."
Assam forest minister, Rockybul Hussain replying on behalf of Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi who holds home portfolio said, "This claim is baseless and figment of imagination. There is no phone tapping."
He stated, "If the MLAs give the speaker in writing and we will take action."
These five MLAs are among the 14 MLAs who assembled in a function recently triggering speculation that they may raise banner of revolt against Tarun Gogoi.
CBI, IB, RAW, ED, NTRO, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Narcotics Control Bureau, Income-Tax and state police are permitted to intercept.
The Setting: A room closely monitored by a CCTV with three to four workstations, desktop monitors and headphones. There are one or two AC-sized servers, or recording instruments, tied with cables provided by telecom service providers. The entry to the room is restricted except for designated officials who need to use biometrics before entering. Equipment is imported and settings customised by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who get the contract. Cost of a server that records the conversation is Rs 10-15 lakh.
Snooping Agencies
Section 5(2) of the amended Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, permits following agencies to intercept in case of public emergency or in the interest of public safety. These are: CBI, IB, RAW, ED, National Technical Research Organisation, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Narcotics Control Bureau, Income-Tax & state police.
Commanding Officer: Field officials of enforcement agencies initiate the process of tapping. But final command is by Union home secretary in case of Central govt agencies & state home secretary for state police.
Oversight Mechanism: Every authority has an Internal Evaluation Cell to examine outcomes. The highest body to monitor lawful telephone interception is Oversight Committee headed by cabinet secretary.
Stripped & Empowered: Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) was stripped of intercepting powers. Ex-revenue secretary KM Chandrasekhar initiated the process of empowering I-T to intercept.
Loopholes: In government departments witch-hunting does take place & phone tapping is no exception. CEIB created a row when it reportedly tapped a senior official's phone. Also, nodal officers of telecom service providers, including the private sector, know whose phones are being tapped as government sends them a formal request. The government is now working to end this human interface between the government & telecom service providers.
Illegal Tapping
The Setting: A car loaded with laptop-sized phone-interception machine is parked near the target's residence or office. The phone number of the target is fed into the machine. Once the target takes a call, it automatically gets recorded in the machine. These machines are illegally imported into India and sold at a premium. New machines where one can feed the voice of the target are now in use.
Punishment: It could be 3 years of imprisonment under Section 26 (b) of the Indian Telegraph Act. The aggrieved person can file an FIR and also move the Human Rights Commission as unauthorised tapping is violation of right to privacy.
9,000: The average number of orders for interception of telephones being issued by the Centre every month. It would be much higher if state government orders are included.
180: Number of days for which a phone can be tapped. After every 60 days, a fresh permission needs to be taken.
72: Number of hours for which authorised agencies can tap a phone without permission in an emergency situation.
But: If permission is denied, the records of tapped conversations need to be destroyed in 48 hours.
Phone tapping: The tap, tapped and tapper
VTPs (Very Tapped Persons) are those whose private telephonic conversations interest the government or political opponents or business rivals. Connections are what matter most in Delhi, so it is not surprising that the latest phone-tapping issue — alleged unauthorised snooping on a senior Opposition leader — has become such a cause celebre in the Capital.
Delhi's powerati have come to realise, after a number of tapping controversies, that either you are tapped and, therefore, somebody very important, or you are untapped and, therefore, not really important.
VTPs (Very Tapped Persons) are those whose private telephonic conversations interest the government or political opponents or business rivals. Even in the lowly profession of journalism, being tapped is a badge of honour. Journos who are never tapped by officialspooks will never give you sensational exclusives, goes the theory. Here's the thing, though. In all the excitement about the tapped, everyone's forgetting about the tapper.
There won't be a list of the tapped without an army of tappers. It's the tapper who's the real elite. While we frequently get to know who's been tapped, we seldom get to know who did the tapping. It's that business house, whispers someone.
It's that shadowy department in that ministry, whispers someone else. It's that politician's cousin's close companion's business partner, those with a taste for more drama would insist. But we never know for sure. If you are miffed that you have never been tapped, try becoming a tapper — and laugh at the tapped.
Five MLAs in Assam complain of phone tapping
GUWAHATI: Five congress MLAs have complained of phone tapping. Five MLAs have complained the speaker, Pranab Gogoi that their phone lines are being tapped.
On Wednesday Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) legislator,Phani Bhushan chowdhury in state assembly said, "Phone tapping is a security threat to the legislator and Speaker must intervene."
Assam forest minister, Rockybul Hussain replying on behalf of Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi who holds home portfolio said, "This claim is baseless and figment of imagination. There is no phone tapping."
He stated, "If the MLAs give the speaker in writing and we will take action."
These five MLAs are among the 14 MLAs who assembled in a function recently triggering speculation that they may raise banner of revolt against Tarun Gogoi.
VTPs (Very Tapped Persons) are those whose private telephonic conversations interest the government or political opponents or business rivals.
Connections are what matter most in Delhi, so it is not surprising that the latest phone-tapping issue — alleged unauthorised snooping on a senior Opposition leader — has become such a cause celebre in the Capital.
Delhi's powerati have come to realise, after a number of tapping controversies, that either you are tapped and, therefore, somebody very important, or you are untapped and, therefore, not really important.
VTPs (Very Tapped Persons) are those whose private telephonic conversations interest the government or political opponents or business rivals. Even in the lowly profession of journalism, being tapped is a badge of honour. Journos who are never tapped by officialspooks will never give you sensational exclusives, goes the theory. Here's the thing, though. In all the excitement about the tapped, everyone's forgetting about the tapper.
There won't be a list of the tapped without an army of tappers. It's the tapper who's the real elite. While we frequently get to know who's been tapped, we seldom get to know who did the tapping. It's that business house, whispers someone.
It's that shadowy department in that ministry, whispers someone else. It's that politician's cousin's close companion's business partner, those with a taste for more drama would insist. But we never know for sure. If you are miffed that you have never been tapped, try becoming a tapper — and laugh at the tapped.
Delhi's powerati have come to realise, after a number of tapping controversies, that either you are tapped and, therefore, somebody very important, or you are untapped and, therefore, not really important.
VTPs (Very Tapped Persons) are those whose private telephonic conversations interest the government or political opponents or business rivals. Even in the lowly profession of journalism, being tapped is a badge of honour. Journos who are never tapped by officialspooks will never give you sensational exclusives, goes the theory. Here's the thing, though. In all the excitement about the tapped, everyone's forgetting about the tapper.
There won't be a list of the tapped without an army of tappers. It's the tapper who's the real elite. While we frequently get to know who's been tapped, we seldom get to know who did the tapping. It's that business house, whispers someone.
It's that shadowy department in that ministry, whispers someone else. It's that politician's cousin's close companion's business partner, those with a taste for more drama would insist. But we never know for sure. If you are miffed that you have never been tapped, try becoming a tapper — and laugh at the tapped.
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