MHA to take call on Essar tapes after discussions: Rijiju

Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs on Wednesday said that they have received the complaint on Essar tapping, adding action on the issue will be taken after holding discussions within the ministry.

"The matter has come to the Ministry of Home Affairs and we have taken a cognizance of it. The action on this issue will be decided after discussions within the Ministry," Rijiju told ANI.

According to the reports, the Home Ministry received the complaint on Essar tapping forwarded by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and is seeking options to initiate actions on the issue of illegal interception.

The Ministry is also reportedly exploring the option if such action can be taken suo motu or based on a formal complaint by the aggrieved party. A complaint about the alleged tapping of telephone conversations between some industrialists and politicians by the Essar Group has been forwarded to the Union Home Ministry for "appropriate action."

The complaint was made to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) by lawyer Suren Uppal, who alleged that the Essar had ordered its former security chief Albasit Khan to tap the phone conversations of its business rivals.

The complaint also mentioned purported conversations of senior officials of the PMO including Ranjan Bhattacharya and Brajesh Mishra.

Essar has so far denied any wrongdoing.