2G collusion | JPC grills CBI chief

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is facing heat from the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) as Director Ranjit Sinha was grilled by the members who wanted to know why the agency had not registered a case against AK Singh, former 2G prosecutor for allegedly leaking sensitive details to Sanjay Chandra, managing director of Unitech, who is an accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Coming under severe criticism on the issue, CBI chief admitted that the agency had not tapped the phones of Singh and Chandra and the agency was not even aware of the source of the CD. Sinha also told JPC none of the government agencies were involved in tapping the conversation and a source had given the CD to a deputy inspector general (DIG) working for the agency.

The CBI in its reply to JPC explained that a preliminary enquiry was being conducted by the agency and CBI had already taken voice samples of the accused and sent it for forensic examination. Sinha also told JPC members that prima facie the voice was of Singh and Chandra but the agency was waiting for a report from forensic experts. Both Singh and Chandra have denied the allegations.   

Members of the committee also pulled up the CBI chief for failing to know that prosecutor was allegedly helping the  accused in the 2G spectrum case and Sinha should work towards improving the functioning of the agency so that sensitive details about the case and prosecution is not leaked to accused.    

Soon after the meeting started, members of the opposition parties started questioning CBI director and Gurudas Dasgupta of Communist Party of India (CPI) raised doubts about the functioning of the special unit of CBI that keeps a watch of members of the CBI who are part of investigation and prosecution of the cases.

JPC members were also concerned about the source of the CD and why the CBI was not aware that one of its prosecutors was allegedly leaking sensitive information to Chandra. Opposition members were keen to know how the conversation was recorded and how did it reach offices of television news channels.   

Sinha further clarified that soon after the CBI came to know about the alleged conversation between Singh and Chandra, the prosecutor was removed from the case and the court had been informed about the development.

CBI had registered a preliminary enquiry against Singh for allegedly revealing the prosecution strategy to the accused. Soon after the agency came to know about the leak, CBI had called Singh and Chandra for questioning in connection with this enquiry at the CBI headquarters on Monday and Singh was removed from the case.

Meanwhile, members of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) asked JPC chairperson PC Chacko to call former telecom minister A Raja before the committee. Chacko has assured DMK members that he would hold informal discussions with other JPC members and inform them about the decision.