SC directs for handing over of Radia tapes

Supreme Court today directed that the original tapes containing the conversation between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and others pertaining to the 2G spectrum allocation case be handed over to it in a sealed cover.

"We direct that the original records and tapes/ CDs be submitted in a sealed cover after preparing the copies. It will be kept in the lockers of the Supreme Court registry and if required, it will be considered for its use," the court said.

The direction came from a bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly after government submitted that it has no objection in handing over the complete set of tapes in the wake of apprehensions that the tapes may be destroyed.

Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said that he has got instructions that there was no objection in handing over the tapes and the court can give direction for preserving them in whatever way it thinks best.

The apex court had yesterday asked the government to respond to the plea for preserving the tapes containing conversation between Radia and others relating to the 2G spectrum scam.

The bench had asked the Solicitor General to take instructions from the authorities on the plea made by NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL).

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who had appeared for the NGO, had made the plea that the tapes prepared by the Director General of Income Tax containing conversation of Radia and others should be preserved while voicing apprehensions that the tapes may be tampered with.

While hearing the issue yesterday, the court had described the "pollution" as "mind-boggling".

Bhushan spoke about the nexus between politicians, bureaucrats, industrialists and journalists as "exposed" in the tapes.