Jaipur: Following the first information report filed by the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan against Aaj Tak journalist Sharat Kumar and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot’s media advisor Lokendra Singh, accusing them of spreading “fake news” about the alleged phone tapping of MLAs during the political crisis in the state, Singh has moved the Rajasthan high court to seeking quashing of the FIR.According to an Indian Express report, Pilot’s counsel S.S. Hora has claimed that the FIR has “political overtones.” He said, “We have prayed for quashing of the FIR. I say there is no offence.”“Their case is a demurrer – take their case to be completely true as it is, but even then the offence as claimed in the FIR is not made out,” added Hora.The FIR was lodged at the Jaipur’s Vidhayak Puri police station on October 1, under sections 505 (1) and (2) (statement conducing to public mischief), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 76 of the Information Technology Act.“The FIR claims that it creates enmity between classes. Which classes? Are MLAs a class,” Hora told the Indian Express. “The same news (was broadcast by channels), saying that the source (of news) is central agencies…and channels are not required to disclose their sources,” he added.Hora further claimed that two channels – News18 National and News 18 Rajasthan – had already telecast the news much before Aaj Tak telecast it, but still the FIR reads that Singh leaked the news to Aaj Tak.Hor said that News18 National and News 18 Rajasthan telecast the at 8 am and 10 am but Aaj Tak telecast it at around 3:30 pm. “Now they say Rajasthan Aaj Tak telecast it on an input received from him (Lokendra Singh),” said Hora.Aaj Tak’s journalist Sharat Kumar has not approached the high court.What’s the phone tapping case?Two months ago, a list of phone calls made by the MLAs and ministers of the Gehlot camp, who were sealed in a hotel in Jaisalmer, was leaked on social media by the Pilot camp, alleging that Gehlot was “unconstitutionally” recording the phone calls of his own MLAs.It was further alleged that those MLAs who in the past had good relations with Pilot were put on “Red Alert”. The government was monitored their phone calls and who they meeting in the hotel, it was claimed.Along with the list, a document was also released revealing that four jammers were installed in the Jaislamer hotel by a company named as Ajaib electronics, to make sure that the MLAs are not able to use their mobile phones.Pilot’s side had also alleged that the state police was involved in the tapping of phones along with two private agencies. However, the Rajasthan Police denied these allegations, calling it “imaginary” and “false”.“No unit of the Rajasthan Police did phone tapping of any MLA or MP, neither in the past nor in present,” the state police had said in a statement that time.While Pilot seems to have settled his differences with the Congress party’s leadership – he is part of the campaigners for the Bihar assembly elections, the Gehlot government has now turned the heat up against his aide.
