Aug 12, 2018 /ECONOMYNEXT – Reports of an illegal phone tapping operation from a “safe house” in Pita Kotte has sparked fears that top politicians may have been targeted, according to a RTI request to the police chief.
Inspector general of Police Pujith Jayasudara has been asked under a Right to Information Act request about the alleged clandestine operation said to be carried out by a covert arm of the police outside the standard intelligence gathering.
Last week, a Sinhalese-language weekly reported that phone tapping equipment and software had been installed at a home in Pita Kotte. The facility was being used to listen to conversations of senior politicians as well as some senior police officers, the report said.
The RTI request queried if such a centre existed and if so under whose authority. The police have two weeks to respond.
Late last year, senior Deputy Inspectors General (SDIGs) told the police commission that Jayasundara was monitoring their mobile phone conversations.
The head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne had told the Commission that the Special Investigation Unit functioning directly under Jayasundera had provided him a list of telephone numbers to obtain details from the service providers. His own number was on the list.
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