Based on the direction of the
law enforcement agencies of the state of Telangana, telecom service
providers Airtel, Idea and Reliance have reportedly tapped certain
telephone phone numbers between the months of
May and June 2015. This admission reportedly figured in the two petitions.
Cellular Operators Association of India
These were filed by the three service providers
as well as the Cellular Operators
Association of India (COAI) before the apex law body, the Supreme Court,
which had reportedly heard their case on Thursday. But they added that do not have any access to the content
of the so called lawful interception.
However,
it is this lawful interception which has resulted in political storm in both Telugu speaking states.
Service providers have reportedly claimed they undertook the
phone-tapping at Telangana’s instance during the time when the sting
operation was carried out by the
Telangana ACB in which TDP MLA a Revanth Reddy and others were caught.
This reported admission of interception of telephonic communication by cellular companies at the instance of Telangana government has resulted in AP demanding the call data from the three service providers, while Telangana has warned these petitioners that it would be initiating criminal proceedings as per Official Secrets Act, 1923 and Indian Telegraph Act, 1995, in case they go ahead with it.