Lokesh Sharma, former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to ex-Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has alleged that Sachin Pilot’s phone was put on surveillance to monitor his movements in 2020 when he unsuccessfully rebelled against the Gehlot government.

In 2020, Pilot had almost toppled the Ashok Gehlot government when he took some 18 loyalist MLAs to Haryana’s Manesar. However, some MLAs returned and the Congress high-command made timely intervention to save the government.

At that time, accusations of phone tracking were made against the government. Reacting to the alleged phone tracking, Gehlot’s former aid Lokesh Sharma revealed that Pilot’s phone was indeed put on surveillance and his movements were also tracked.

“During the political crisis in Rajasthan, when Sachin Pilot had gone to Manesar with 18 MLAs, the state government was keeping a track on Sachin Pilot and the people he was meeting. Sachin Pilot was being monitored on where he was going, and who was he talking to on the phone so that corrective measures could be taken and it was because of the monitoring that we could bring some people back. He was also being chased and all his movements were tracked,” he said.

#WATCH | Jaipur: On alleged phone tapping of Congress leader Sachin Pilot, Outgoing Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot’s OSD Lokesh Sharma says “During the political crisis in Rajasthan, when Sachin Pilot had gone to Manesar with 18 MLAs, the state government was keeping a track on Sachin… pic.twitter.com/XzTJhdNGDh

— ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2023

After Congress party’s defeat in Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2023, Sharma had severally criticised Ashok Gehlot and alleged that the former CM was responsible for the defeat.

Sharma claimed that Gehlot distributed tickets to several leaders despite their negative feedback. He also said that he himself wanted to contest the elections from Bikaner but was not given the ticket.

Sachin Pilot had also reacted to Sharma’s claim, saying he was surprised after seeing the statement form CM Gehlot’s former OSD and expressed hope that party will take cognizance of this. He is yet to react on the phone tracking claims.