Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government, which raised a hue and cry after the alleged tapes containing purported conversation between TRS MLA Stephenson and Chandrababu were aired on TV channels, held talks with Italian company to procure devices for intercepting mobile calls and e-mails, according to documents released by whistle-blower website WikiLeaks.

The AP government reportedly agreed to pay Rs 7.5 crore to the company. Across the world many software companies provides technologies to intercept phone calls and e- mails.

The software is used for unauthorized purposes. WikiLeaks on Friday made available info of 10-lakh e-mails including those of a Hyderabad firm (AP police’s consultant), which contacted an Italian firm to procure tapping-devices.

Five days after the telecast of the audio tapes in television channels, an Italian surveillance company received a request from its Indian partner for phone-tapping devices and according to the e-mail conversation their client is AP Police.

Meanwhile, Telangana protagonists were demanding the Centre to conduct a detailed inquiry on the AP’s bid for procurement of phone-tapping devices.