The Supreme Court today said issues related to the 2G spectrum case were “highly sensitive” and no officer investigating the matter should be “under any cloud” on a petition against an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer probing the Aircel-Maxis case.
A vacation bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra and SK Kaul said that allegations levelled against senior ED official Rajeshwar Singh, who is probing the Aircel-Maxis deal case, were serious and required to be looked into.
Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing for the Centre, told the court that the government was willing to investigate the allegations that Rajeshwar Singh amassed disproportionate assets and handed over a communication in a sealed cover to the bench.
The bench, after perusing the documents placed before it in a sealed cover, said sensitive issues were involved in the matter.
“As a matter of fact, when there are allegations, whether right or wrong against you (Singh) 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 officer.
The top court said that it would pass an appropriate order in the matter at 2 pm today itself.
Rajneesh Kapur, who claims to be an investigative journalist, has filed a petition in the top court seeking investigation against Rajeshwar Singh for allegedly amassing assets which are disproportionate to his known source of income.
Rajeshwar Singh has also filed a separate contempt petition against Mr 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 also moved the top court seeking its permission to implead himself as a party in the petition filed by Mr Kapur.
The top 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 FIPB approval given in the Aircel-Maxis deal case in which former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram have been questioned by probe agencies.
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