Detectives are investigating Rupert Murdoch over comments he made in an internal meeting with journalists from the Sun that were secretly recorded.
The Metropolitan police want access to the recording as part of the Operation Elveden inquiry into corrupt payments to public officials, assistant commissioner Cressida Dick said on Tuesday.
It is understood that one of the offences being investigated by the force is conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.
Dick told MPs on the home affairs select committee: "We are seeking to obtain the tape of the meeting during which Rupert Murdoch appears to have been recorded. We will then assess the full contents of that tape."
She refused to be drawn on whether police had already obtained the full tape or whether they were seeking a court order for the media organisation to hand it over. "I am not prepared to go further," she told MPs.
The revelation comes as Murdoch was summoned to appear before the culture, media and sport select committee again over what he said in the March meeting recorded by News International journalists.
Exaro News, the website that published parts of the recording, said on Tuesday it was arranging to supply the evidence to Operation Elveden. Mark Watts, editor of Exaro News, said he was giving the police what had already been published on the website – three audio clips from the meeting.
Murdoch told the journalists that the culture of paying police officers for stories "existed at every newspaper in Fleet Street. Long since forgotten. But absolutely", and had existed long before Sun journalists had been arrested.
Murdoch also criticised the "incompetent" police investigation that has led to the arrest of so many of his staff.
Through a statement issued by News Corp., Murdoch said he welcomed returning to Parliament to answer their questions.
Interesting developments...
No comments:
Post a Comment