All it takes is an email to get CDRs

The police need the home secretary's permission to tap phones but the government does not have any rules for them to access call data records (CDRs) of any subscriber.

The police need the home secretary's permission to tap phones but the government does not have any rules for them to access call data records (CDRs) of any subscriber.

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There are no safeguards that restrict the police from getting the CDRs of any subscriber, a home ministry official said.

"It is true. There are no checks and balance in the system," another official added.

All that the policemen need to access a subscriber's CDR is an email to the telecom operator.

The operator is bound to hand over the call details - that even list the broad location of the subscriber - since their license conditions require them to provide all necessary assistance to law enforcement agencies.

Since intelligence agencies do not come under the classification of a "law enforcement agency", the government-owned BSNL had a few years ago tried to provide the CDRs to the Intelligence Bureau in many states.

"Instructions, however, were issued subsequently by the government to give the intelligence agencies access too," the official said.

But the ministry, or the telecom department did not incorporate any safeguards for privacy of subscribers.