JOIN USSC lets new CBI chief to supervise 2G cases
Weeks after removing then CBI director Ranjit Sinha from the 2G case, the Supreme Court on Monday allowed new chief Anil Sinha to supervise the investigation and prosecution in the case.
A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice H L Dattu granted the permission on a request made by senior advocate K K Venugopal on behalf of the investigating agency. He urged the court to allow the new CBI chief to oversee the 2G cases.
“We are informed by K K Venugopal, appearing for the CBI, that Anil Kumar Sinha has been appointed as the CBI director. In lieu of the subsequent development, we permit him to take over the investigation in the case,” the bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri and R K Agrawal, said.
Less than a fortnight before his retirement, then CBI chief Sinha had on November 20 suffered a taint as the apex court directed him to recuse from the 2G scam case, finding prima facie charges against him on interfering in the investigation.
The court order had come came as a huge personal setback to the then CBI director who was to demit office on December 2.
The emergence of visitors’ diary to Ranjit Sinha’s 2, Janpath residence here depicting his alleged hobnobbing with the 2G accused, besides charges of his bid to give a clean chit to some of the accused, were pointed out by NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation to seek his removal from the case.