A joint director of the Enforcement Directorate, who probed the 2G scam and Aircel Maxis case, has made a scathing attack on Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia questioning him if he has developed animosity against him by “siding with scamsters and their affiliates”. He was “continuously and consistently hounded” for standing up against those who were “rigging” the system, he alleged in a letter.
In a ruling on Wednesday, 27 June, the Supreme Court allowed the government to probe “serious charges” against Singh pertaining to disproportionate assets. The ED, however, backed him, and called him a “responsible officer”.
In his letter dated June 11, 2018, forwarded to the Revenue Secretary by ED Director Karnal Singh, Joint Director Rajeshwar Singh asked a series of uncomfortable questions from Mr Adhia ranging from ignoring his promotion, “compromising National security”, “set scores on an ego trip” among others.
Besides Adhia, Singh had hit out at P Chidambaram, who is under the scanner in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case. He said the former finance minister made “his life hell” for investigating the case.
Meanwhile, sources in the finance ministry said charges levelled by Rajeshwar Singh against the Revenue Secretary are absolutely baseless.
Singh, who has been handling several other high-profile cases for the ED since 2009, said that he is paying the price for “clinging on to integrity and for doing what the law required him to do.” In the same letter, he stated that he would be going on leave for a year.
The letter became public through informal channels after Supreme Court today told the government that it was free to look into the “serious” allegations against Mr Singh apparently withdrawing the immunity from probe given by it to the officer earlier.
The Supreme Court’s observations came after the counsel of central government submitted a secret report in sealed cover apparently carrying details of a phone call received by Mr Singh from Dubai. The Central government also told the court that it was open for investigations of allegations against Mr Singh.
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