Former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka has accused the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of having tapped his mobile phone, including his WhatsApp phone conversations, between 2018-2019.
Addressing the Parliament today, MP Ranawaka said the CID had acted without the instructions of a magistrate, which is a violation of his fundamental rights and Parliament privileges.
He pointed out that during his interrogation by the CID, he noted that certain details questioned would have become known to the Department only if they had monitored his WhatsApp calls.
The MP further accused his mobile service providers of having infringed his rights by providing information to the CID without a court order.
The former Minister also asked the Government if the CID was using the infamous ‘Pegasus’ App or similar technology to tap his phone.
‘Pegasus’ received worldwide attention recently when several world-leaders phones were said to have been infected by the spyware developed by an Israeli company.
Patali Chamipka Ranawaka called on the Speaker to summon the CID officers and the mobile service providers before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee and conduct a thorough investigation in this regard.
He added that this was an offence that could be convicted at the Supreme Court.
MP Ranawaka was summoned before the CID in September to record a statement over allegations of financial malpractices related to the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development which was headed by him under the former regime. (NewsWire)