Have been made a scapegoat, targeted by Maharashtra govt: IPS officer Rashmi Shukla tells HC

Senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla on Friday told the Bombay High Court that the Maharashtra government had made her a scapegoat and was targeting her for submitting a report on alleged corruption in police transfers and postings.

Shukla's counsel Mahesh Jethmalani told a division bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar that the then additional chief secretary Sitaram Kunte, who gave permission for phone tapping, was trying to absolve himself by putting all the blame on her (Shukla).

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Shukla challenging an FIR registered by the Mumbai police's cyber cell in a case of illegal phone tapping and alleged leaking of sensitive documents related to police transfers and postings.

Jethmalani told the court that while the FIR has till date not named any person as accused, Shukla is the only person who is being investigated and has been made a scapegoat.

“What is the evidence against Shukla? The state government is angry with Shukla for submitting a report on the phone interception done by her at the direction of her seniors. She (Shukla) was only doing her duty,” Jethmalani argued.

Also read: Phone tapping row: Rashmi Shukla may have leaked letter to Fadnavis, alleges Maharashtra Chief Secretary

“We all know what is troubling the state government. Someone in the opposition party by the name Devendra Fadnavis got hold of these documents and revealed them to the media,” he added.

Shukla, who is currently serving as the additional director general of the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) south zone, had headed the state intelligence department when the alleged tapping of phones took place.

Jethmalani further told the court that before the phones were intercepted, necessary permissions were taken from Kunte, who was the appropriate authority at the time.

“Kunte is now trying to absolve himself by pushing the blame on Shukla. Did he (Kunte) grant repeated permissions without application of mind?” Jethmalani argued.

“Shukla is willing to undergo a lie detector test. Is Kunte willing to do so?” he submitted.

The bench said it would continue hearing the matter on August 21 and said the assurance given by the police in May that it would not take any coercive action or arrest Shukla shall continue till then.

The senior IPS officer in her petition stated that she had exposed the alleged nexus between ministers and politicians and other gross corruption involved in assigning postings to police officers.

Instead of applauding and appreciating her work, the "government authorities are involved in framing the petitioner in a false criminal case", the plea alleged.

An FIR was registered at the BKC cyber police station in Mumbai against unidentified persons for allegedly tapping phones illegally and leaking certain confidential documents on the complaint filed by the Maharashtra Intelligence Department.