New Delhi:
While the government has said that it will bring in a new law on cell phone tapping in the next session of Parliament that will allow agencies to tap many more phones, but the reality is that your phone could very well be under surveillance even as we speak, and in all likelihood, the government has nothing to do with it. (
Read: Phone taps legalized but monitored)
"Some corporate have also acquired such machines, not through legal means, to monitor the activities of their business rivals. They are being helped by the retired officers of the intelligence agencies, private detectives etc. This is a parallel world going on, much stronger than the intelligence agencies," said Maloy Krishna Dhar, former Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau.
That's what is worrying the government. It has given an ultimatum to all private players to surrender phone tapping units or face action, even jail.
With millions at stake, listening in can make the difference to the fortunes of not only corporate, but according to sources even some politicians have used passive cell phone listening devices to keep a tab on their political rivals.
The equipment is even available online, for anything between two to five crores. Several foreign companies dealing in these machines have set up shops in India. While they insist their clients are government agencies, many also have demo units which experts say can just as easily be rented out.
"They must allow private companies to also employ some of these methods especially when they feel that their empire is being raided. It is a matter of their survival, either the government provides such services or allows them to do this," said Kunwar Vikram Singh, Chairman, Association of Private Detectives of India.
So the big question is will the threat of a crackdown serve as a deterrent, or will private players take the risk to stay one step ahead of their rivals.