Phone tapping row: Pilot's media manager, journalist booked

The Rajasthan Police has lodged an FIR against former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot’s media manager Lokendra Singh and Aaj Tak’s Jaipur-based Editor Sharat Kumar, two months after the Congress leader’s camp accused the Ashok Gehlot-led government of tapping phones of some of their MLAs. The FIR was lodged at Jaipur’s Vidhayak Puri police station under provisions of spreading of rumour, creating or promoting enmity and various sections of the Information Technology Act. Police have also summoned Pilot’s media manager for questioning on Thursday, and have asked him to bring his mobile, laptop or computer through which he allegedly disseminated the information. On August 7, the Pilot camp had accused Gehlot of tapping the phones of some of the legislators who were staying at Hotel Suryagarh in Jaisalmer — with the involvement of a few officers from the state police. The police department, however, denied the allegations and claimed that people were spreading false information.