LDF MLA P V Anvar.
Kottayam authorities have launched a first information report against Left Democratic Front (LDF) legislator P V Anvar following a complaint regarding illegal wiretapping submitted by a private citizen.
Mr. Anvar sparked a significant political controversy by releasing an electronic recording of a phone conversation with Superintendent of Police Sujith Das earlier this month, drawing the attention of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and law enforcement agencies.
The police are expected to seek legal counsel to ascertain if recording a private conversation without consent constitutes a legal offense. The investigation will also explore whether Mr. Anvar’s actions incited public unrest and disrupted civic order by broadcasting this conversation on various media channels.
In response to the incident, the government has suspended Superintendent Sujith Das for allegedly undermining the integrity of his position by advising the MLA to cease inquiries into a custodial death case in Malappuram district.
A preliminary departmental inquiry revealed that Mr. Sujith Das may have disparaged the police hierarchy and the Chief Minister’s office, including its political secretary, P Sasi.
During a press conference, Mr. Anvar presented the recorded conversation as evidence of systemic corruption within the police under Mr. Vijayan’s administration, including claims of illicit wiretaps targeting politicians and citizens in the guise of surveilling extremist activities.
In light of these allegations, Kerala Governor Arif Muhammed Khan requested an official report on Mr. Anvar’s wiretapping claims from the government.
Mr. Vijayan responded to the situation by denouncing Mr. Anvar’s claims, revealing that the legislator is also being investigated for unauthorized phone tapping.
Published – September 29, 2024 11:26 am IST
