Backing IPS officer Rashmi Shukla, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said she had taken permission to tap phones to probe corruption in posting of police personnel.

Shukla previously served as commissioner of the Maharashtra intelligence department and later faced allegations of illegal phone tapping. Replying to 'last week resolution' moved by Ambadas Danve, the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative council, Fadnavis, who handles the Home department, said in his remarks, the then-Director General of Police Subodh Jaiswal had recommended a probe by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) into alleged corruption in postings.

“The way corruption in postings has taken place…the Commissioner of Intelligence taps phones to probe this by taking permission, and sends a report (to the state DGP). In his remark, the DGP says it is a serious matter and this should be probed by the CID. Instead, the one who prepared the report is booked (for phone tapping),” Fadnavis said.

He, however, did not mention her by name. Shukla, who is now on central deputation, was booked by the then-Maha Vikas Aghadi government for allegedly tapping the phones of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Eknath Khadse.

(With PTI inputs)