The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed Finance Ministry’s appeal against the Delhi High Court order ratifying the absorption of Enforcement Directorate’s Deputy Director Rajeshwar Singh, the Investigating Officer of 2G and Aircel-Maxis scam cases. The Ministry’s move was unprecedented as the Supreme Court’s 2G bench in October 2014 had passed orders to retain the IOs of CBI and ED till the end of the trial and directed the government to absorb Singh within three working days.
While dismissing the petition, the SC Bench headed by Shiva Kirti Singh and Justice R Bhanumati, observed that the matter was already decided by the 2G Bench of the Apex Court. The ED officer met hardships when the Finance Ministry under P Chidambaram tried to remove the officer in December 2013 after Singh slapped a fine Rs 8000 crore on Swan Etisaalt for FEMA violations in 2G case.
The Ministry did not approve the absorption of Singh, recommended by UPSC. The ED officer was on deputation from Uttar Pradesh Police cadre.
Singh won the case in Central Administrative Tribunal following which the Finance Ministry challenged the order in Delhi High Court. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in the meantime petitioned the 2G Bench of Supreme Court on the hardships of the officer. The SC then directed the Centre to absorb Singh within 3 days. But despite the SC’sdirection, the Ministry went ahead with the service case against Singh in Delhi High Court only to lose in December 2015. Recently, Chidambaram had blamed Singh for even raiding his son Karti’s firms.