CEOs and promoters of 10 companies under CBI scanner

Chief executive officers and promoters of 10 companies are among 63 persons who have come under the scanner for their alleged involvement in the 2G telecom spectrum allocation scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today told the Supreme Court.

The court allayed apprehension of the petitioners that the alleged involvement of the Tata Group in the 2G scam was not probed properly. The court said the CBI report has “indicated” about the probe into the allegation made by the non-governmental organisation Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) against the Tatas.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, alleged that several issues against the Tatas, including the land gifted to DMK in Chennai, which found mention in the transcript of the tapped conversation of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, has not been touched by the CBI in its probe.

“They (CBI) are acting in a manner which is not creating suspicion. If there is any deviation in the probe, then we would give you opportunity to point it out,” a bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said.

“The case is progressing in the right direction. Prima facie, there is no fault in its investigation. We are quite conscious that CBI must probe every aspect of the case. It is indicated in the report and the report has taken care of your concern,” the bench said, while dispelling the apprehension of the NGO.

“You keep something for the future,” the bench said, when Bhushan contended there were several loose ends in the CBI probe.

The court’s remark came after the CPIL, on whose plea the CBI inquiry was directed, said the agency had questioned the top honchos of Reliance ADAG Group and Essar but it had not investigated direct involvement of the Tata Group in the case and its quid pro quo arrangement with DMK, the party to which it had given a plot in Chennai.

Bhushan said Y P Singh, the Joint Director investigating the case, had recently sought voluntary retirement to join a private company associated with ICC’s (International Cricket Council) anti-corruption unit.

“This is a disturbing thing that an officer of Joint Director level, who was heading the team of investigation, has taken retirement to join a company associated with ICC which is being headed by a minister in the government. The company is the one which had received Rs 100 crore from Shahid Usman Balwa, who is one of the accused in the scam,” Bhushan said.

The CBI, however, objected to the statement of Bhushan and said such remarks should not be made orally. It should be filed on affidavit, so that it could be countered. At the outset, its counsel placed the probe report in a sealed cover on the progress and various steps taken by the agency.