SC concerned over disclosure of report submitted to it

The Supreme Court Thursday took serious view of the contents of a CBI report submitted to it in a sealed cover for seeking its nod to file fresh FIRs against some 2G accused finding way to media.

A bench of Chief Justice H.L.Dattu, Justice Arun Mishra and Justice S.A.Bobde expressed its concern soon after senior counsel K.K.Venugopal sought to address the court for seeking its directions to file FIR against some 2G accused.

Chief Justice Dattu, noting that the reports in a sealed cover were opened in court on April 20 and subsequently re-sealed there itself, asked how could their contents be leaked to media.

He also took exception to a section of media mentioning DMK leader Kanimozhi as being named by the Central Bureau of Investigation as one of the several people against whom the agency wanted to lodge a fresh FIR for allegedly doctoring and fabricating documents to cloud their role in the 2G scam.

Chief Justice Dattu said that there were passages in the media report quoted from the report submitted to the court in a sealed cover.

Justice Bobde meanwhile wanted to know if the reports in sealed cover were covered under the Official Secrets Act.

Venugopal, appearing for the CBI, told the court that he was am prepared to file an application for investigation into how and where it leaked out.

As Venugopal wanted the direction of the court on the filing of the FIR, he told the court that since the matter (of fresh FIR) was not covered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the matter may not go to the special court hearing 2G cases and may have to go to regular court.

The court said that it would hold hearing into this aspect on July 23 and said the same to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy who raised the issue of Aircel-Maxis deal.

Fixing the next hearing on July 23, the court took on record the status reports submitted by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.