Agency rejects Prashant’s allegation that Ranjit Sinha met representatives of accused companies at his official house
CBI Director Ranjit Sinha found himself at the centre of a major controversy on Tuesday after the Supreme Court was confronted with “explosive” material to suggest that officials of companies accused in the 2G scam frequently visited him at his official residence. The CBI has denied the charges.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGO Centre for Public Interest litigation, informed a Bench headed by Justice Hl Dattu that on Monday night he received copies of the entry register maintained at CBI chief Ranjit Sinha’s residence at 2, Janpath that were “disturbing” and “explosive”.
He referred to a report published in a newspaper on Tuesday that, among other things, revealed that two highly-placed officials of a prominent company involved in the 2G scam made over 50 visits to Sinha’s residence in 15 months.
However, the CBI strongly denied reports that officials of a telecom company indicted in the 2G scam had met agency Director Ranjit Sinha at his official residence. “The said report is false, baseless and malicious, and intended solely to destroy the credibility of the CBI as an institution and tarnishing the reputation of its Director. It appears to be a part of a concerted design to malign India’s premier investigating agency,” agency spokesperson Kanchan Prasad said in a statement.
The matter is sub judice and any submission in this regard will be made in court, Prasad said. “The investigation in the matter was complete when the present CBI Director assumed office and the case is now under trial. The CBI reiterates its commitment to its motto, Industry, Impartiality and Integrity,” she added.
The Bench monitoring the 2G scam asked Bhushan to file the material in a sealed cover in court and directed the matter to be listed on Thursday. Bhushan also prepared a short note indicating how the contents found in the register supported his demand for removing the CBI Director from the 2G probe.
In his application, Bhushan accused the CBI Director of compromise the pending 2G case against the “big fish.” Bhushan has also pointed out that Sinha tried to tamper with the 2G probe by recommending a review of the case against Reliance and Swan Telecom while the trial was pending against them before the 2G Special Court.
Bhushan said the CBI Director did not have his way as his opinion was overruled by then Special Public Prosecutor UU lalit. He alleged that Sinha then transferred DIG Santosh Rastogi out of the 2G probe, a decision which forced the court to call for the files relating to his transfer.
Following the fresh revelations, the Bench, also comprising Justices SA Bobde and Abhay Manohar Sapre, directed Bhushan to supply a copy of the “explosive” material to senior advocate KK Venugopal who appeared for the CBI. The CBI Director was represented in court by senior advocate Vikas Singh who took objection to personal allegations being leveled against him by Bhushan without giving him notice. The Bench directed that a copy of the fresh material be supplied to Sinha’s lawyer seeking his response by Thursday.
Meanwhile, another petitioner in the 2G case, BJP senior leader Subramanian Swamy alleged that an officer of the Enforcement Directorate who was removed from the 2G probe had not been reinstated despite the directive of the apex court. Venugopal, who appeared for ED as well, informed the court that the officer in question, Rajeshwar Singh, had opted for study leave. The Bench directed a response from the officer himself.
lawyers appearing for the 2G accused decried attempts by Bhushan to scuttle the probe and demanded stay of the 2G trial. The court refused to pass any order to this effect, but decided to hear on September 24 the bunch of petitions by the accused to quash the 2G chargesheet.