"The Chief Minister has directed Chief Secretary T.M. Vijaya Bhaskar to inquire into the reported tapping of phones of political leaders, rebel legislators of the coalition allies and some IPS officers," Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers D.V. Sadananda Gowda told reporters here after a meeting of the city's assembly and parliamentary members with Yediyurappa on the development of Bengaluru's infrastructure projects.
Gowda represents the Bangalore North seat in the Lok Sabha from the southern state.
The phone-tapping controversy came to light recently after audio tapes in which new city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao's name figured and his voice heard was leaked to the media, alleging that he and two other IPS officers were vying for the high-profile post.
"As unauthorised phone-tapping is a criminal offence, only a thorough inquiry will reveal who all were involved in the scandal. The culprits should be booked and punished," asserted Gowda.
Gowda was also BJP's chief minister in the southern state for over a year from August 2011 to mid-September 2012 when the saffron party was in power from 2008 to 2013.
According to an interim report by the Joint Commissioner of Police (crime), Rao's conversations with an alleged Congress power broker (Faraz) were tapped thrice in May-June after the Lok Sabha elections in the state were held in two phases on April 18 and April 23.
In a sudden move on August 2, the BJP Chief Minister appointed the 1990 batch officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS) Bhaskar Rao as the city police commissioner, replacing 1994 IPS officer Alok Kumar Singh, who assumed office only 47 days ago on June 17.
Rao was Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP) of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) when his telecon was reportedly tapped, as he too was eyeing the coveted post.
As Singh was abruptly transferred to replace Rao in the KSRP without completing even three months in the commissioner's post, he did not hand over the customary baton when the latter assumed charge on August 2.
Yediyurappa, who became chief minister for the fourth time on July 26, is also the state home minister as he has not expanded his cabinet so far.
"The phone-tapping occurred inadvertently when then Additional Commissioner of Police (crime) was legally intercepting calls of Injaz International managing director Misbauddin Mukarram, as an inquiry was underway on him for operating an alleged ponzi scheme similar to that of IMA Jewellers founder and prime accused Mohammed Mansoor Khan and in which several investors were duped of their savings in crores of rupees," said an interim report.
Names and 'voices' of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel and state's former PWD Minister H.D. Revanna of the JD-S also figured in the unverified 'audio' tapes.
Revanna, a legislator from Holenarsipur in Hassan district, is the elder brother of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and second son of former Prime Minister and JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda.
When Faraz's phone was intercepted, the City Crime Branch (CCB) inspector who was tapping his conversation, overheard and recorded him taking Bhaskar Rao's name in the context of postings and transfers in the police department," said the interim report.
In spite of Rao lobbying hard, Kumaraswamy had appointed Singh to the city commissioner's post.
Surprisingly, Yediyurappa swapped Rao with Singh to make him the city police commissioner.
( With inputs from IANS )