CBI and Enforcement Directorate today placed before the Supreme Court fresh status reports on the progress of probe into the 2G spectrum scam which also contained their responses to allegations of interference of an influential minister in the investigation against some firms.
“I have two status reports from ED and CBI in sealed covers on each issue raised by the petitioners. Our full reply is by way of status reports to the allegations,” advocate K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the probe agencies, told a bench comprising justices G.S. Singhvi and A.K. Ganguly.
The court had sought the responses of the agencies on an application filed by an NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), alleging interference by Law Minister Salman Khurshid in the investigation into 2G spectrum case.
The NGO has also alleged the probe agencies were going soft on companies like Essar, Loop and their promoters by not slapping corruption charges against them in the case arising out of the 2G spectrum scam and such a decision was “facilitated” by the intervention of the CBI Director and the Law Minister.
The NGO also demanded that the agency should probe the role another company Shyam Telelink Ltd, which had got licences, during the tenure of former Telecom Minister A Raja, and in which Russian billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov has invested money.
It also accused CBI of being slow in taking action against DMK MP Dyanidhi Maran in October.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) should be constituted to supervise the probe in the 2G spectrum scam.
Advocate P.P. Rao, appearing for the Centre, said the trial by the media should be stopped.
After brief submissions by the parties, the hearing was adjourned by the bench which said it was not possible to conclude the hearing today and the application filed by the NGO would become infructuous as one of the judges, justice Ganguly, would not be available for hearing the case as he is retiring on February 2.
