Expressing dissatisfaction with the ongoing investigation, Tata chief Ratan Tata on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to order a probe by an independent agency into the leakage of his tapped telephonic talk with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia.
“I submit that only an enquiry by an independent agency can meet the need of the situation and not by two functionaries of any one government department,” he said in a fresh counter-affidavit in reply to the government's stand.
The government filed its affidavits on December 9, 2010 and January 31, 2011 in replies to his petition for a probe into the leakage and for protection of his fundamental right to privacy, linked to the right to life with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Mr. Tata expressed dissatisfaction with the probe by the Income Tax authorities, claiming various lacunae, limitations and inconsistencies as well as its mechanism.
The industrialist pointed out that the government, in its affidavit on December 9 last and subsequently on January 31, claimed that the probe was already on while the Finance Ministry's official order for appointment of two senior officers to probe the matter was issued only on December 27.
“This implies that there could have been no enquiry prior to that [December 27],” he said and termed it a “discrepancy,” he said.
He, however, added that “if the government has ordered an enquiry, it is submitted that it is a step in the right direction, albeit not sufficient.”
