CBI sleuths press for BlackBerry phones

The CBI team investigating the 2G spectrum scam had asked for BlackBerry phones for 'safe communication' between team members as they were probing the role of many telecom companies. Rajesh Ahuja reports.

The CBI team investigating the 2G spectrum scam had asked for BlackBerry phones for 'safe communication' between team members as they were probing the role of many telecom companies. A request for 16 phones was made to the CBI brass but the plea is yet to be accepted.

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The security agencies had been demanding access to BlackBerry messenger service (BBM) and enterprise service (in-house email) for long. Despite a tussle between the security establishment and Research In Motion (RIM) - the makers of BlackBerry - the firm has not acceded to the demand as far as enterprise services are concerned.

The argument of 2G team was if the security agencies cannot access some BlackBerry services, they can be rest assured about of unauthorised interception of their communication.

According to sources, just having a BlackBerry phone doesn't guarantee 'safe commutation'. "We can rather have a MTNL, a government entity, connection just to be on the safe side," a CBI official said.

According to CBI, the demand for BlackBerry for safe communication should be seen in the context of 'unauthorised' leakage of Niira Radia conversations, which were tapped with due authorisation.

"Anybody can be interested in the communication between the 2G team members. Besides BlackBerry phones would have given the team members a faster mode of communication," said an official on the condition of anonymity.