Govt orders submission of monthly report on telephone tapes

All central agencies authorised to tape telephone calls have been ordered by the government to provide monthly report on the information gathered from intercepted calls.

Minister of State for Home R P N Singh said this in Lok Sabha while replying a written question.

"The Central law enforcement agencies have been directed to submit monthly reports about the information gathered from intercepted calls," he said.

The notified security agencies, to which facilities for lawful interception monitoring were extended, are Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Directorate of Enforcement, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Central Bureau of Investigation.

Other agencies are National Investigation Agency, Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), Directorate of Signal Intelligence, Ministry of Defence-for Jammu and Kashmir, North East and Assam service areas only.

The state agencies are Director General of Police of concerned state, Commissioner of Police, Delhi for Delhi metro city service area only.

The central agencies have to take authorisation for telephone interception from Union Home Secretary while state agencies have to take the permission from state Home Secretary.