Aircel-Maxis case: SC to consider ED officer's plea

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a plea by senior Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer for contempt against “vested interests” for hounding him for investigating the money laundering case.

A vacation bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Sanjay Kishan Kaul posted the application filed by ED Joint Director Rajeshwar Singh, along with a similar plea made by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, for hearing on Tuesday.

Senior advocate R S Suri, representing the officer, contended that certain people were disturbed after the apex court's order to complete the probe within six months.

Since a charge sheet has been filed and a supplementary charge sheet is likely to be filed soon, they have started raising charges based on seven-year-old complaints, which have already been probed by the CBI, ED and CVC, and the officer has been cleared.

Swamy also contended that all these efforts were being made to delay the matter. He said the apex court had earlier also observed that “some invisible hands” were blocking the probe into the Aircel-Maxis case.

Both Suri and Swamy urged the court to consider the matter. They sought action against Rajneesh Kapur who had recently filed a PIL in the apex court alleging the officer possessed disproportionate assets.

Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, representing the Centre, said it seemed like some people were more interested in investigating the Investigating Officer than the investigation. Banerjee, however, said the matter could be taken up on July 3, the date already fixed on Kapur's petition.

In his plea, the officer, nominated by the top court as the lead ED investigating officer in the 2G case a few years ago, has claimed his probe has "irked a sizeable number of individuals, corporate, lobbyists and corrupt and dishonest persons who have time and again filed false, frivolous and motivated complaints against him".