SC go-ahead to probe ED officer investigating 2G case
New Delhi, June 27: The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the government to probe into allegations against a top Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer who is probing the high profile 2G and Aircel-Maxis cases.
Senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram are being probed for alleged irregularities and graft in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance in Aircel-Maxis case.
The allegations against ED Joint Director Rajeshwar Singh were mentioned in a report submitted before the top court in a sealed envelope on Wednesday.
A vacation bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul also modified their earlier March 16, 2011, order that said that "no one including the newspapers shall interfere with the functioning of the CBI team and the officers of the Enforcement Directorate who are investigating".
Rajeshwar Singh was heading the ED team probing the 2G cases.
By the March 16, 2011, order the court had said it would take "serious cognizance of any endeavour made by any person or group of persons" to interfere with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED probe into the 2G scam cases.
Taking note that the charge-sheet has already been filed in the Aircel-Maxis case, the court on Wednesday said it was up to the government to take a call whether Singh was further required in the trial or investigation of the 2G and Aircel-Maxis cases.
At the outset of hearing in the pre-lunch session, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Vikramjit Banerjee handed over to the bench a report in a sealed cover levelling "serious allegation" against Rajeshwar Singh that have a bearing on national security.
Handing over the status report in a sealed cover, ASG Banerjee told the vacation bench: "We want to investigate but (top court) order comes in the way ... sensitive information about national security."
In the course of hearing, the bench also described the contents of the report as "highly sensitive" having a bearing on national security.
Saying, "we can't divulge" the report, the bench said: "The thing that have come (to our knowledge) is startling. Even in imagination we could not have thought of it."
As the senior counsel Rupinder Singh Suri appearing for Rajeshwar Singh and Subramanian Swamy told the bench that they were not aware of what had been handed over to the court, the bench said: "Too much damage have been caused. When appropriate time comes we will put everything on record."
As the bench said a person, who is investigating sensitive 2G spectrum case, should not be brought under cloud, Swamy said: "Nor should any cloud be created to make him move out."
Swamy urged the court to call for a report from the CBI Director and the ED about the allegations against Rajeshwar Singh.
Observing that it could not shut its eyes to all this, the bench said: "Something is very serious. It may be correct or it may not be correct."
"You seem to say that as he has been promoted, these allegations would not have been there," Justice Mishra said as Swamy pointed out that full evaluation of Rajeshwar Singh was done by all the agencies when Rajeshwar Singh was promoted from Deputy Director to Joint Director.
Even as senior counsel Suri and Swamy defended Rajeshwar Singh suggesting that the reports submitted to the court could be motivated, Justice Mishra said: "As a matter of fact, any allegation has to be investigated. At the same time, you must not be victimised."
"You are simply an officer. You can't be given a blank chit. You are accountable for every action of yours. You must be accountable," said the bench as Suri and Swamy drew the attention of the court towards the earlier order of the court protecting Rajeshwar Singh.
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Commercial LPG price hiked by Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder
New Delhi (PTI): The price of commercial LPG was hiked by the steepest ever Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder on Friday, marking the third straight monthly increase due to rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
A 19-kg commercial LPG - used by establishments such as hotels and restaurtants - now costs a record Rs 3,071.5 in Delhi as against Rs 2,078.50 previously.
Rates were last increased by 195.50 per cylinder on April 1. Prior to that, prices had gone up by Rs 114.5 per 19-kg cylinder on March 1.
In three increases, commercial LPG rates have gone up by Rs 1,303.
Prices of domestic cooking gas LPG - the one used in household kitchens - remained unchanged. Domestic LPG rates were last hiked by Rs 60 per 14.2-kg cylinder on March 7. It costs Rs 913 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi.
State-owned Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum revise ATF and LPG prices on the first day of every month based on international benchmarks and the exchange rate.
Global oil prices have shot up almost 50 per cent after the war in West Asia disrupted energy supply chains.
Petrol and diesel prices continue to remain frozen after a Rs 2 per-litre reduction in March last year; petrol currently costs Rs 94.72 per litre in Delhi and diesel Rs 87.62.
