With the CBI set to probe further the conversations in the Nira Radia tapes, former Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata on Wednesday made it clear to the Supreme Court that he did not intend to challenge the power of authorities to tap the former corporate lobbyist’s phones.
Instead, he argued that his sole interest was to secure his right to privacy that got breached due to illegal leakage of the intercepted conversations, still finding way into print. Tata was himself present in the court even as his stand was put forth by his counsel senior advocate Harish Salve. “We are not on the power of the authorities to intercept telephones. If Radia wants to challenge that, she could,” Salve said, emphasising that his concern was only to probe how the leak occurred twice.
First, the leak occurred after the conversations were tapped by the Income Tax department and a second time when the contents of the report of a committee constituted by court to examine the transcripts got leaked to press. “This amounts to mocking at the sanctity of court proceedings,” Salve said, pointing to the recent reports in the newspapers highlighting excerpts of the report prepared by a committee comprising five CBI officers and one official of the IT department. Salve demanded that only an independent investigation could prove how and who caused the leaks.
He said the Government has been “lackadaisical” in finding out how the tapped telephonic conversations of Radia with top politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen including him got leaked. Tata, who came dressed in a grey suit a little before 11 am, patiently witnessed the proceedings in the packed court room. Pointing to the recent leak of transcripts at a time when the matter was being considered by court sent out a worrying signal, Salve said, “An impression is gaining currency that nothing will happen if the intercepts are leaked and
published.” The Bench of Justices GS Singhvi and V Gopala Gowda posted the matter on Thursday and suggested “Rule of law has to be maintained and in that process it does not matter who pays a price.” later, Tata Sons, in a statement, said, “Ratan Tata has filed this writ petition on a matter of principle. He believes privacy is an important right for every individual and is keenly following the progress of this case.” Senior advocate KK Venugopal, who is assisting the court in the case, supported Salve in his demand for an independent probe.