The government has said, it follows a proper procedure in ordering interception of telephones and a high-level committee reviews each case individually before giving its final approval.

Talking to newsmen on the sidelines of a function in New Delhi today, Union Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai said all the interception of phones and e-mails follow the prescribed procedures and the judgement of the Supreme Court and the rules laid down under the Telegraph Act. Giving details he said,Union Home Secretary and state Home

Secretaries authorise the interception of telephones. There is also an oversight committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary with Law Secretary and the Telecom Secretary as its members. Pillai said the committee looks after each of the order.

AIR correspondent quoting Home Secretary reports, on an average 6,000 to 8,000 telephones are being tapped by various agencies at any given time after taking permission from the Union Home Secretary.

Besides, around 10,000 more telephones are intercepted by state governments. Pillai’s comments came a day after the affidavit of Reliance Infocomm before the Supreme Court saying that in 2005 in Delhi, 3588 phones were intercepted by the company. Between 2006 and 2010, the company intercepted 1.51 lakh telephones across India.