Naidu demands probe by the Centre into illegal phone tapping

Upping his ante against his Telengana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao over alleged tapping of his phones, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded a probe into illegal phone tapping.
"Telangana government is biased... How can anybody do illegal tapping, it is unfair, it is unethical. They have to investigate at high level committee and appropriate action should be taken on this," Naidu told reporters after meeting Modi here.
Naidu, who also met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, accused the Telengana government of acting with high handedness.
Telengana TV channels had aired an audio tape allegedly containing a phone conversation between Naidu and a nominated MLA of the Telangana Assembly, Elvis Stephenson in what is now known as 'cash for vote scandal'.

Questioning the neighbouring Telengana government's authority to tap his phones, Naidu said he has urged the Centre to implement Section 8 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act which gives various powers including law and order to the Governor.
"I have told the Prime Minister that Telengana government is acting with high handedness...I have urged Prime Minister, Telecom Minister and Home Minister to order a probe into illegal phone tappings and confiscate the equipment that is used for illegal tapping," he told reporters here.

Apart from Prime Minister, Telecom Minister and Home Minister, Naidu also met BJP President Amit Shah.
Asserting that Telengana Anti-Corruption Bureau does not have any rights over Andhra Pradesh, he said ACB should have passed on its information to the Election Commission following the Code of Conduct.

"But the phone recordings were broadcast by a TV channel which enjoys the patronage of K Chandrashekar Rao," he said.
Alleging that his arch rival YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy was hand in glove with TRS, Naidu said he was not ready for any compromise at this juncture.
He also denied that the conversation which claims to have his voice was fabricated.
"Why should I answer when these are doctored tapes," he said.