SC allows govt probe of disproportionate assets charges against ED officer investigating 2G spectrum case
NEW DELHI, Jun 27: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday allowed the government to investigate the disproportionate assets allegations against Rajeshwar Singh, the senior Enforcement Directorate (ED) official probing the Aircel-Maxis and 2G spectrum case.
In doing so, the SC diluted the blanket protection from inquiry that had favoured the ED officer.
The apex court cited a government affidavit which said it does not want to protect anyone who is guilty, no matter how high their official position might be. The Centre also said that it would take the Aircel-Maxis probe to its logical conclusion.
Earlier today, the apex court said that because the allegations are serious and as the 2G case is a sensitive one, the ED officer probing it should not be under a cloud.
As well today, the Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing for the Centre, told the court that the government was willing to investigate the allegations that Rajeshwar amassed disproportionate assets and handed over a communication in a sealed cover to the bench.
The SC bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Sanjay K Kaul also the sealed-cover allegations against the ED officer, Rajeshwar, involves national security issues. An ED officer cannot be given immunity just because he had a blanket protection from the apex court while probing the 2G scam and the Aircel-Maxis case, the SC bench said.
“As a matter of fact, when there are allegations, whether right or wrong against you (Rajeshwar) it has to be looked into,” the bench said, adding “the things which have come before us are startling.”
“You are simply an officer. You can’t be given a blanket clean chit. Everybody is accountable. You must be accountable for any action. We need to ensure that you are accountable. We don’t want to damage you or comment against you. There are very serious allegations against you,” the bench told the ED officer.
Rajneesh Kapur, who claims to be an investigative journalist, has filed a petition in the apex court seeking investigation against Rajeshwar for allegedly amassing assets which are disproportionate to his known source of income.
Rajeshwar has also filed a separate contempt plea against Kapur and has claimed that attempts have been made to scuttle or delay the ongoing probe in the Aircel Maxis case.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has also moved the top court seeking its permission to implead himself as a party in the plea filed by Kapur.
The apex court had on March 12 set a deadline of six months for the CBI and the ED to complete the investigation into the alleged irregularities in certain approvals given in the Aircel-Maxis deal case in which former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti have been questioned by probe agencies.
