Mukul Roy Says Mamata Government Tapping His Phone, Goes To Delhi High Court

New Delhi: Mukul Roy, who recently quit Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress to join the BJP, has moved the Delhi High Court alleging that his phone is being tapped by the Bengal Government. The court will take up his petition on Monday.

Mr Roy had earlier told reporters: "I am not being able to speak to anyone on the phone. All my phones are being tapped. This is illegal." He said he would make the union home ministry party to his petition. The Bengal government was "suppressing and pressuring every constitutional body", he alleged, adding that this was why he was trying to become a voter from Delhi.

He also accused the Trinamool Congress of tapping not just him, but "political leaders across all parties".

Mr Roy, a founding member of the Bengal's ruling party, joined the BJP earlier this month, declaring he was "proud to be working under Prime Minister Narendra Modi." He also said the Trinamool had become a 'private limited company" under Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

The 63-year-old was once the Chief Minister's number two in the party. He quit the Trinamool Congress and resigned his Rajya Sabha seat last month.

Mr Roy was known for his organisational and strategic skills. His bitter feud with Mamata Banerjee has been linked to the rise of her nephew.  Over the years, Abhishek Banerjee has replaced Mr Roy's men with his own as the second rung in the Trinamool.

Mr Roy is among the leaders named in connection with the Narada sting in which Trinamool politicans are caught taking bribes. Of a dozen leaders seen on the sting tapes, Mr Roy is the only one not seen accepting cash.

In the past, Mamata Banerjee had alleged that her phones were being tapped. After taking power in Bengal, she had alleged that the Centre was tracking her phone conversations.