'Karnataka Govt has not ordered tapping of Lokayukta's phone'

Bangalore, Jul 23 (PTI) South Indian state Karnataka
government Saturday asserted it had not ordered tapping of
telephone of Lokayukta(Ombudsman) Justice N Santosh Hegde, who
has now hinted at the possible involvement of a political
party behind it.
"Government has not ordered (tapping of Hegde's phone)",
Chief Secretary S V Ranganath told PTI when contacted. "We
have not authorised anything".
When told about the Government position, Hegde said: "Is
phone tapping of this type authorised? Do you think that the
Government will officially, on record, say that you tap the
telephone of Lokayukta?".
Speaking in general terms, he said everybody knows that
phone tapping is going on in a big way by various
organisations and special investigation agencies.
Asked if he is convinced that the state Government is
behind his phone-tapping, Hegde, a former Supreme Court Judge,
told PTI: "I would not say Government; but political party
might be there (behind the phone-tapping)...I don't know, that
I don't want to comment...I don't want to talk about it. I
don't want to join issue on phone tapping".
The disclosure of the Lokayukta earlier this week that his
phone had been tapped and coming as it did after his second
and final report on the mining scam in Karnataka was leaked,
has raised a political storm, with Chief Minister B S
Yeddyurappa and four ministers being indicted.