Vested interests scuttling probe in Aircel case: ED

An ED officer probing the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case has petitioned the Supreme Court that he is being hounded by frivolous allegations by proxies who hold "vested interests" in the high-profile 2G spectrum allocation case.

ED Joint Director Rajeshwar Singh on Wednesday filed a criminal contempt plea before the court against Rajneesh Kapur who had recently moved the apex court against him, alleging the officer possessed disproportionate assets.

The apex court had admitted Kapur's PIL that also sought a probe against the ED officer.

The officer, nominated by the top court as the lead ED investigating officer in the 2G case few years ago, has charged in his petition that 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".

He said the fresh PIL against him is nothing but a bunch of old and unsuccessful allegations against him and are a "brazen attempt to delay the completion of 2G spectrum case and the Aircel-Maxis case".

Singh said the allegations levelled against him are not new as "no new evidence has been filed" adding that the allegations of improper conduct and disproportionate assets, filed in the PIL recently, were made in a similar fashion about 7 years ago also and his organisation (ED), the CBI and the CVC had given him a clean chit after a probe was conducted.

The Supreme Court had then ordered that no interference should be made by anyone in the functioning of the officers who are probing the 2G case, including Singh and had also issued a contempt notice.

The ED officer charged that his reputation has "suffered grave attack ever since he had been investigating the 2G scam and related investigations."