2G case: JPC grills CBI chief over prosecutor-Chandra nexus

Panel asks why case was not registered against A K Singh for leaking info to accused

 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is facing the heat from the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). CBI Director Ranjit Sinha was grilled by JPC members who wanted to know why the agency had not registered a case against A K Singh, former 2G prosecutor, for allegedly leaking sensitive details to Sanjay Chandra, managing director of Unitech, who is an accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Coming under severe criticism on the issue, the CBI chief said the agency had not tapped the phones of Singh or Chandra, and it was not aware of the source of the CD, allegedly containing the taped conversation between the two. Sinha also told JPC that none of the government agencies were involved in tapping the conversation and a source had given the CD to a deputy inspector general (DIG) working for the agency.

CBI, in its reply to the parliamentary committee, explained that a preliminary inquiry was underway and the agency had already taken voice samples of the accused and sent it for forensic examination. Sinha added that prima facie, the voice seemed to be of Singh and Chandra, but the agency was waiting for a report from forensic experts. Both Singh and Chandra have denied the allegations. The members also pulled up the CBI chief for failing to know that the prosecutor was allegedly helping the accused in the spectrum case. The panel said Sinha should work towards improving the functioning of the agency so that sensitive details about the case and prosecution were not leaked to any of the accused.

Soon after the meeting begun, members of the Opposition parties started questioning the CBI director. Gurudas Dasgupta of the Communist Party of India raised doubts about the functioning of the counter-surveillance unit of the CBI, which keeps a tab on its own officers, who are part of investigation and prosecution.

Opposition members wanted to to know how the conversation was recorded, and how it reached the media.

Sinha clarified that soon after the CBI came to know about the alleged conversation between Singh and Chandra, the prosecutor was removed from the case, and the court had been informed about the development.

CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry against Singh for allegedly revealing the prosecution strategy to the accused. Soon after the agency came to know about the leak, CBI had called Singh and Chandra for questioning in connection with this enquiry at the CBI headquarters on Monday and Singh was removed from the case.

Meanwhile, members of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) asked JPC Chairperson P C Chacko to call former telecom minister A Raja before the committee. Chacko has assured DMK members that he would hold informal discussions with other JPC members and intimate them about the decision.