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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Govt probes tape leak

Govt probes tape leak

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published Published on Nov 30, 2010   modified Modified on Nov 30, 2010

The Centre today ordered a probe into the leak of lobbyist Niira Radia’s purported phone conversations allegedly tapped by the income tax department.

The home ministry announced the probe on the same day Tata group chairman Ratan Tata moved the Supreme Court demanding action against people responsible for leaking the contents of tapes. The Radia tapes feature purported conversations she had with journalists, politicians and industrialists, including Tata.

A home ministry spokesperson said the order for the probe, which will be conducted by the intelligence bureau and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), was issued today.

However, a senior ministry official claimed that the directive had nothing to do with Tata moving the court. “This is just a coincidence that the order has been issued today. The decision to order a probe had been taken several days ago,” the official said.

Although the intelligence bureau was mentioned, the CBDT will be investigating the case on its own. The CBDT has been claiming that it had tapped Radia’s phone with the permission of the home ministry.

Of the 5,000-odd of Radia’s conversations that were tapped, 104 were leaked over the past couple of weeks.

Tata, in the petition today, said the leak infringed upon his fundamental right to life, which includes right to privacy. Tata has made the central government a party in his petition. The transcripts that have been leaked include Radia’s conversations with several journalists and a former bureaucrat who is now an MP.

Tata has named the home secretary, CBI, income tax department, department of telecommunication and the department of information technology as respondents in the petition.

The hearing will resume tomorrow.

Adviser suspended

The government today suspended Santokh Singh, a law ministry legal adviser who was till recently posted with the telecom department and associated with the controversial affidavit filed in the Supreme Court.

In the affidavit, the department had denied allegations that it ignored the advice of the Prime Minister, finance secretary and the law ministry over allotment of spectrum and said all licences were given “as per law and in keeping with the extant policy and procedures”.

Singh, a joint secretary-level officer, was suspended after a probe was ordered into his role in advising the telecom department in spectrum allocation.

“Since the probe ordered against him is unlikely to be completed before his retirement, he would get provisional pension... he would not retire gracefully,” said a law ministry official. Singh has two more months of service left.

The Indian legal service officer was transferred back to the law ministry a few days ago.


The Telegraph, 30 November, 2010, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101130/jsp/nation/story_13238952.jsp


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