JOIN USSC wonders if 'invisible hands' impeding probe in 2G related cases
The Supreme Court on Monday slammed the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over delay in completing their probe into the 2G spectrum allocation cases, wondering if some "invisible hands" were impeding the investigation.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Navin Sinha gave six months' time to the CBI and the ED to complete the probe into the cases, including the one into Aircel-Maxis. The court asked Attorney General K K Venugopal to ensure that a status report was filed within two weeks.
Taking up the matter, the bench said, "It is shocking that all these matters can't see the end of the day. The investigation has been going on for so long. The people of the country can't be kept in the dark in a serious and sensitive matter like this."
"This is unfortunate and a sorry state of affairs," the bench said. The court also found it intriguing that all these matters remained pending for so many years.
On being told by Venugopal that the accused, including former telecom minister A Raja, have been acquitted, the court sought to know why the probe was getting delayed in other cases, including those related to the FIPB clearance.
"You book everybody responsible in the case and investigation has to be completed in all aspects. We are unhappy about the way things are going on as the investigation has not seen the light of day. This case is becoming like 'touch me not'," the bench said.
Status report
BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy contended that the court had earlier sought status report from the CBI and the ED with regard to investigations done in Aircel-Maxis deal case. "This status report which was to be filed in the court was unfortunately in the bedroom of one of the accused in the case," Swamy said, without taking any name.
The bench also dismissed a contempt plea made by NGO CPIL, challenging the appointment of Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta as special public prosecutor in the matter, without taking leave from the court.
The court said senior advocate Anand Grover was appointed for conducting the trial in the matter; the trial was over and it was open for the government to replace him.