May 22, 2020, Kathmandu
The National Investigation Department of Nepal can now tap your calls. We have come to know that the department can get your phone number and internet details directly.
The National Assembly passed on a bill on Wednesday to formulate and operate the Nepal Special Service.
After a long discussion in the parliament, a special provision has been made under Article 10 of the bill. It says that to gather required information, the department can record the conversations through various media. The tapping of the conversations includes audio, video, electronic signals, or the details of the person who is under monitor from organizations.
Furthermore, the National Assembly also allows the National Investigation Department to record a person’s conversation without the prior approval of the court.
However, to make such authority valid, the officer assigned with the investigation needs to get the approval of the Chief Investigation Director.
It is important for us, citizens, as well to understand how far the investigation department goes to tap into our privacy if we are under monitoring. Also, this saves you from mistreatment by the people in power.
So, there is a provision in the bill to get details of the computer, telephone, mobile number, and internet.
In contrast, the investigation department can only use such details for the sole purpose for which they were obtained. Later, those details go for termination for the privacy and security of the citizens.
As of now this is a proposed bill and is not legal yet. In fact, the House of Representatives will receive the bill in the coming days. The Investigation department will be legal if the House passes the bill as it is. This will mean that the department will be able to tap a person’s phone conversation legally.
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