10 government agencies can tap phones, Lok Sabha told

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) are among 10 central agencies that can intercept telephone communications, provided they have the Union home secretary’s prior permission to do so, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

“Section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 empowers the central government or a state government to intercept, monitor or decrypt, information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource in the interest of the sovereignty or integrity of India, the security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order,” minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy said.

He was responding to questions related to the interception of WhatsApp calls and messages.