New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed that it will examine a PIL against enforcement directorate officer Rajeshwar Singh for compiling disproportionate wealth.
PIL petitioner Rajneesh Kapur, told a vacation bench of Justices Adarsh K Goel and Ashok Bhushan that no government agency is ready to take action in the case of disproportionate assets of Singh “due to blanket protection orders passed by the Supreme Court on May 1, 2014 and November 1, 2017, protecting the ED officer from any kind of inquiry or investigation.”
In his defence, Rajeshwar Singh alleged that “He’s been hounded by the establishment for his impartial investigations into the case.” The Supreme Court had once quashed an order transferring him out of the probe team dealing with 2G cases.
Rajeshwar Singh was leading the ED investigations into 2G spectrum scam and the Aircel-Maxis deal.
Rajneesh Kapur in his petition accused the ED officer of violating norms and propriety to indulge in “unchecked corruption and gone to the extent of shaking hands with organised mafia elements which is detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of the country”. The petitioner’s counsel told the bench that the SC’s orders were meant to protect Singh against mala fide or frivolous complaints but are not a bar on action against alleged illegalities. He provided a chart of alleged disproportionate assets of the officer.
The bench in its order said “The prayer that the SC may itself look into the material against Rajeshwar Singh will be considered on the next date of hearing (July 3), for which the entire material be placed before the court. Additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, who is present in the court, may assist the court on the next date of hearing after obtaining necessary instructions from Union government and the Union Revenue Secretary with regard to allegations in the petition.”
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