NEW DELHI, Nov 30 � In a fresh embarrassment to the government, the Supreme Court today questioned Chief Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas�s moral right to supervise CBI�s probe into the 2G spectrum scam as he himself was telecom secretary at the relevant point of time, reports PTI.
�CBI is functioning under the CVC, at that time he (Thomas) was functioning as telecom secretary. It would be difficult for him to objectively monitor.�
�He had justified the action which are being subjected to scrutiny by this court and CBI. It would be difficult for him to objectively supervise,� a bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said
The bench, which termed as �mind-boggling� the country�s growing corruption, also sought the Centre�s response to preserving tapes relating to corporate lobbyist Niira Radia�s recorded conversations after an apprehension was raised that it could be destroyed as it exposed the nexus between politicians, bureaucrats and journalists.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) which has submitted the recorded conversations before the court, said the CBI should be directed to place in a sealed cover the original copies of tapes and questioned the opposition against their disclosure by a noted industrialist � an obvious reference to Ratan Tata who had moved the apex court raising certain objections over the leaks.
The day also saw a sudden shift in the stand of government, which contrary to its earlier strong objection agreed to the apex court monitoring the investigation. This change in stand comes in the backdrop of the growing clamour for a JPC probe an issue which has paralaysed Parliament for the past 13 days.
Though Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium tried his best to convince the court that there was no violation of rules and the government had only displayed dynamism, the bench minced no words in expressing displeasure at the manner in which the spectrum was alloted.
The bench took a dig at former telecom minister A Raja, whose involvement in the scam has come under its scanner, by saying that he was also dynamic.
�That gentleman (in an obvious reference to Raja) was dynamic. The CAG report reflects about his dynamism,� the Bench observed.
While Bhushan was reading purported extracts from the Radia�s conversations with Ratan Tata, MPs, former bureaucrats and journalists, the bench observed, �Not only we are talking about pollution of the Ganga for the past 28-30 years. This pollution is mind-boggling. We do not live in a world of illusion. If there is peace. The real world is in the villages and forests.
�It is the concern (pollution) of the entire community,� the bench said.
NEW DELHI, Nov 30 � In a fresh embarrassment to the government, the Supreme Court today questioned Chief Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas�s moral right to supervise CBI�s probe into the 2G spectrum scam as he himself was telecom secretary at the relevant point of time, reports PTI.
�CBI is functioning under the CVC, at that time he (Thomas) was functioning as telecom secretary. It would be difficult for him to objectively monitor.�
�He had justified the action which are being subjected to scrutiny by this court and CBI. It would be difficult for him to objectively supervise,� a bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said
The bench, which termed as �mind-boggling� the country�s growing corruption, also sought the Centre�s response to preserving tapes relating to corporate lobbyist Niira Radia�s recorded conversations after an apprehension was raised that it could be destroyed as it exposed the nexus between politicians, bureaucrats and journalists.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) which has submitted the recorded conversations before the court, said the CBI should be directed to place in a sealed cover the original copies of tapes and questioned the opposition against their disclosure by a noted industrialist � an obvious reference to Ratan Tata who had moved the apex court raising certain objections over the leaks.
The day also saw a sudden shift in the stand of government, which contrary to its earlier strong objection agreed to the apex court monitoring the investigation. This change in stand comes in the backdrop of the growing clamour for a JPC probe an issue which has paralaysed Parliament for the past 13 days.
Though Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium tried his best to convince the court that there was no violation of rules and the government had only displayed dynamism, the bench minced no words in expressing displeasure at the manner in which the spectrum was alloted.
The bench took a dig at former telecom minister A Raja, whose involvement in the scam has come under its scanner, by saying that he was also dynamic.
�That gentleman (in an obvious reference to Raja) was dynamic. The CAG report reflects about his dynamism,� the Bench observed.
While Bhushan was reading purported extracts from the Radia�s conversations with Ratan Tata, MPs, former bureaucrats and journalists, the bench observed, �Not only we are talking about pollution of the Ganga for the past 28-30 years. This pollution is mind-boggling. We do not live in a world of illusion. If there is peace. The real world is in the villages and forests.
�It is the concern (pollution) of the entire community,� the bench said.
