Centre Says Law Permits It To Intercept, Monitor Digital Info In Public Interest

"This power of interception is to be executed as per the provisions of law, rules and SoPs", said Union minister Kishan ReddyThe government's reply came in response to questions related to tapping of WhatsApp calls and messages.Former Congress president Rahul Gandh last December called Narendra Modi "an insecure dictator" and accuse him of turning India into a "police state"

Representational Picture (AFP)

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that the power of interception has to be executed as per the provisions of law and 10 central agencies (CBI, ED, Intelligence Bureau..) are entrusted with the job. Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, however, said the agencies have to seek approval of the Union Home Secretary before putting anyone on surveillance Kishan Reddy said that Section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, empowers the central government or a state government to intercept, monitor or decrypt or cause to be intercepted or monitored or decrypted, any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource in the interest of the sovereignty or integrity of the country. "This power of interception is to be executed as per the provisions of law, rules and SoPs. Easy such case is approved by the Union Home Secretary in case of central government and by the Home Secretary of the state concerned in case of the state government," he said in a written reply to a question. ALSO READ: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi Hits Back At Mamata Banerjee After Her 'Minority Extremism' Remark The competent authority in the central government has authorized 10 agencies for the purpose: Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Narcotics Control Bureau, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, National Investigation Agency, R&AW, Directorate of Signal Intelligence and Delhi Police Commissioner. The government's reply came in response to questions related to tapping of WhatsApp calls and messages. Former Congress president Rahul Gandh last December called Narendra Modi "an insecure dictator" and accuse him of turning India into a "police state" over the phrasing of a notification by the Union home ministry on device surveillance. “Converting India into a police state isn’t going to solve your problems, Modi ji,” tweeted Congress president Rahul. “It’s only going to prove to over 1 billion Indians what an insecure dictator you really are.” ALSO READ: Google Removes Anti-India Mobile App The government then explained that "any computer" would not be under surveillance. “Any person or any phone or computer instrument can’t be intercepted, only those which are related to threats to national security, public order, integrity of India. These orders have been repeated from time to time,” Former finance minister late Arun Jaitley had said. (With additional information from PTI)