R.K. Dutta takes over 2G spectrum probe

A day after CBI director Ranjit Sinha recused himself from the investigation and prosecution of the 2G spectrum allocation case following a Supreme Court order, Additional Director R.K. Dutta Friday took charge of the probe.

Rupak Kumar Dutta, a 1981-batch IPS officer from the Karnataka cadre, is the senior-most officer of the investigating team.

Dutta is the overall incharge of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the agency which is probing the 2G cases.

The CBI sources said initially it was not clear whether Special Director Anil Sinha, second-in-command after the CBI director, will oversee the probe or Dutta who is incharge of ACB will lead the investigation.

They said it was decided as per the order of Supreme Court, the person heading the investigation team should be put in charge of the 2G cases.

The Supreme Court Thursday directed Ranjit Sinha not to interfere with the 2G spectrum case and recuse himself from its investigation and prosecution.

A bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu, Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice A.K. Sikri had said the senior-most officer heading the investigation team probing the 2G case will take over the overall investigation.

The court's directives had come while hearing the plea of senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan who demanded the CBI director's ouster for allegedly influencing the trial in the case. Bhushan had alleged that Ranjit Sinha wrote to the then Special Public Prosecutor U.U. Lalit the points which could have tilted the trial in favour of one of the accused. Lalit had trashed the suggestions.