New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS): In a major trouble for the former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case of alleged illegal phone-tapping against several unknown public servants and private persons on the request of the ruling BJP state government.

The CBI registered the case on Friday under several sections of the Information Technology Act against unknown public servants and others on the basis of a letter from the Karnataka government dated August 20.

According to the state government order, the CBI was asked to probe associates and relatives of political leaders belonging to the ruling and the opposition, besides government servants whose phones were tapped.

The order further said that because of illegal phone tapping in the state, it is apprehended that crucial and personal information of many senior political leaders and government servants might have been leaked, which is likely to infringe upon their right to privacy.

Former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy has been accused of sanctioning the phone tapping during his tenure when his government was facing crisis after a series of resignation by 17 MLAs of then ruling combine of Congress and Janata Dal-Secular. Kumaraswamy has denied the charge.