IB, CBDT to probe Radia tape leakages - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Union Home Ministry has asked the Intelligence Bureau and the Central Board of Direct Taxes to probe the leakage of tapes concerning London-based lobbyist Niira Radia. This is a new development related to the 2G spectrum allocation scam. The government has asked the concerned agencies to probe Radia's conversations with her clients and certain journalists, sources said. The ministry’s order came as TATA Group chief Ratan Tata approached the Supreme Court seeking action against those involved in the leakage of tapes containing his conversation with Radia. Tata contended that the leakage of the tapes containing intercepts of his conversation with her was a violation of his privacy. He asked the Central Government to probe the leak of the tapes and take action accordingly. The CBDT had conducted the phone tappings over a period of time for which the ministry gave the sanction, sources said. Tata has made the Central Government a party in his petition. Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who has filed a public interest litigation seeking the prosecution of former telecom minister A Raja, said he would robustly contest Ratan Tata’s move to seek an injunction against the release of the tapes. "We are seriously considering filing an application in the SC to ensure there is no injunction against these tapes and these recordings are put out in the public domain," Bhushan said. The tapes had come into the public domain recently after certain media groups published transcripts of the same. As per the CBI , which is probing the alleged 2G spectrum scam, it was examining transcripts relating to 5,000 calls. Nearly 104 tapping records are out in the market, sources said.

Home Ministry asks IB, CBDT to probe Radia tape leakages