An Income-Tax report submitted by the Centre to the Supreme Court on Friday exposed the unholy nexus between former CBI Director AP Singh and meat exporter Moin Qureshi, who is under scanner for illegal money transactions. The report revealed that Qureshi used his influence with the former CBI boss to either scuttle high-profile probes or implicate even Ministers and dignitaries.
Presenting a copy of the IT Appraisal Report against Qureshi in a sealed cover to the court, Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi said, “It discloses an astonishing state-of-affairs between Qureshi and the former CBI Director, who is currently a member of the UPSC.”
The special Bench of Justices Madan B lokur, Kurian Joseph and AK Sikri, hearing the coal scam cases had sought the report in connection with an application alleging that Qureshi, who frequently met the present CBI Director Ranjit Sinha, acted as a conduit of the accused who met Sinha in relation to the 2G and coal scam cases.
Giving a clean chit to Sinha, A-G said, “No conversation between Qureshi and the present CBI Director were found in the tapes.” The taped conversations were in form of BBM messages mostly in code languages which were exchanged by Qureshi with senior dignitaries, Rohatgi explained.
Out of the four volumes of the report, Rohatgi focused on the third volume. “I am pained to say that the conduct of the former Director is wholly unbecoming of his position.”
He cited instances where Qureshi influenced Singh to file prosecutions against Ministers and other dignitaries. “The contact between this man and former Director was on a daily basis and in nature of helping accused in many matters probed by CBI.”
At the same time, in his talks with other persons Qureshi tried to flaunt his closeness with the present CBI Director as well. Rohatgi told the Court that while I-T department will enquire only into revenue frauds, Government will take a call whether to involve law enforcement agencies to probe commission of any criminal offence resulting from the taped messages. The court will hear the matter next on December 8.