# Phone tapping cannot be retrospectively validated: Chhattisgarh High Court

2026-08-07T12:09:50+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

The Chhattisgarh High Court has set aside a CBI interception order used to build a corruption case against Ravi Shankar Ji Maharaj, chairperson of Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SRISMR) in Raipur. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal held that a Ministry of Home Affairs confirmation order cannot retrospectively authorise wiretaps, calling phone tapping a severe intrusion on the right to privacy under Article 21. The Court found that the original interception authorisation dated June 28, 2025 was used to justify tapping from June 1, 2025, earlier than the authorisation itself. The Bench ruled that the confirmation order is 'confirmatory in character' and cannot create jurisdiction retrospectively. It declined to quash the FIR or chargesheet, noting the case can proceed on other evidence. The intercepted material must be destroyed.

## Coverage

- barandbench.com <https://www.barandbench.com/news/phone-tapping-severe-intrusion-on-privacy-must-strictly-comply-with-law-chhattisgarh-high-court>
- livelaw.in <https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/chhattisgarh-high-court/no-retrospective-validation-phone-interception-544903>

Tags: CBI, Chhattisgarh High Court, phone tapping, privacy, Telecommunications Act 2023
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