New Delhi: The phone tapping row surrounding BJP leader Arun Jaitley appears set to explode into a bigger controversy after the main conspirator reportedly claimed that attempts were made to access the call detail records (CDR) of over 60 persons, including that of top BJP leaders.

As per reports, private detective Anurag Singh attempted to extract CDRs of over 60 persons including Nitin Gadkari, Vijay Goyal, Lalit Modi, and Sudhanshu Mittal.

Mittal, while confirming that he was in touch with Anurag Singh, told a news channel, “We have been victimised. Our CDRs have been accessed.” He will hold a press conference later today.

Anurag Singh was remanded in judicial custody by a Delhi court on Feb 26. He was earlier accused of tapping the phone of former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh in 2005.

The other three accused — constable Arvind Dabas, Neeraj and Nitish — are also in judicial custody.

The BJP has accused the government of “spying on the Opposition” and demanded an apology. Rajya Sabha witnessed uproar over the issue last week and had to be adjourned.

Terming it as a serious matter, BJP demanded an answer from Shinde as to who ordered this unauthorised surveillance. “This is a government of spies like James Bond and when any government functions in a mafia style then the people of this country does not forgive it. This is a serious crime,” said BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. –

However, Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat today termed the attempt to tap phones of BJP leaders as an internal operation of the BJP.

“According to information this phone tapping of BJP leaders is their internal operation. A part of their personal tussle,” Harish Rawat said.

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is likely to make a statement on the issue in Rajya Sabha today.