James Murdoch says he 'could have conducted more thorough probe into phone hacking scandal'

London, Mar 15 (ANI): News Corp executive James Murdoch has expressed his deep regret over the News of the World phone-hacking scandal and admitted that he could have conducted a more thorough investigation into allegations that the practice was widespread at News International.

"Clearly, with the benefit of hindsight, I acknowledge that wrongdoing should have been uncovered earlier," Murdoch said in a seven-page letter to the Commons culture, media and sport select committee.

"I could have asked more questions, requested more documents and taken a more challenging and sceptical view of what I was told, and I will do so in the future," he added.

Murdoch, however, maintained that he did not mislead parliament by telling MPs he did not know that phone hacking was widespread at the News of the World.

According to The Guardian, there were signs of criticism of some of his former senior colleagues.

"It would have been better if I had not relied on the people who had assured me that thorough investigations had been carried out and that further investigations were unnecessary, and the statements made by the police to the same effect," Murdoch wrote.

Murdoch maintained that Tom Crone, the former head of legal at the Sun and News of the World, and Colin Myler, the former News of the World editor, could have disclosed more in April 2008 if they had "wanted to warn me that voicemail interception was more widespread".

Instead, he said, "they said nothing that led me to believe a further investigation was necessary". (ANI)