SC to examine if Reliance Telecom officials visited CBI chief’s residence ‘50 times in 15 months’
Lawyer-activist and Aam Aadmi Party leader Prashant Bhushan alleged in court that the people who visited Ranjit Sinha’s house include those being investigated for the telecom and coal scams. The CBI denied the existence of a visitor’s diary for its top boss’ house, while Sinha’s lawyer said in court that the CBI is being ‘destroyed as an institution’ by baseless allegations against its head. The court will review the record submitted by Bhushan at the next hearing on Thursday. The charge against Sinha assumes significance given the fact that it has already come under scathing attack for allegedly trying to derail the ongoing 2G trial against Reliance Telecom.
The CBI director had informed the then special public prosecutor UU Lalit that the agency wants to file a separate reply to the petitions filed by six accused in a 2G case concerning Reliance ADAG even when the CBI had already filed a consolidated combined reply for all six accused. The letter (RC-DAI-2009-A-0045-8549-50) states that the ‘CBI may prepare separately draft para-wise replies to the petitions filed by the six accused in 2G spectrum case – RC 45(A)/2009 DLI – and if the separate parawise replies are otherwise consistent with the consolidated reply, which has already been filed by the CBI on March 4, 2014, we may at a later stage request the court to allow us to file the same.’
An infuriated Lalit sent back a strong three-page reply stating that ‘the draft sent by the CBI tantamounts to weakening the case.’ Meanwhile, the news report in DNA newspaper, published from Mumbai, on Tuesday alleged that Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) group executives met Ranjit Sinha at least 50 times over 15 months. Two ADAG officials whom the newspaper named had met the CBI chief 50 times. This has put Sinha in a spot as he has already come under scathing attack for allegedly trying to derail the ongoing 2G trial against Reliance Telecom, said the report.
‘If one goes by the diary, it becomes clear the two have been visiting Sinha’s residence almost every week between May 2013 and August 2014. The frequency of their visits increased this year when Sinha moved a proposal to re-investigate the case against Reliance Telecom and Swan Telecom on grounds that some new facts have come to light. The duo met Sinha 27 times this year so far. The guest list reveals that the duo used to visit Sinha together and separately,’ said the news report.
The CBI director had informed the then special public prosecutor UU Lalit that the agency wants to file a separate reply to the petitions filed by six accused in a 2G case concerning Reliance ADAG even when the CBI had already filed a consolidated combined reply for all six accused. The letter (RC-DAI-2009-A-0045-8549-50) states that the ‘CBI may prepare separately draft para-wise replies to the petitions filed by the six accused in 2G spectrum case – RC 45(A)/2009 DLI – and if the separate parawise replies are otherwise consistent with the consolidated reply, which has already been filed by the CBI on March 4, 2014, we may at a later stage request the court to allow us to file the same.’
An infuriated Lalit sent back a strong three-page reply stating that ‘the draft sent by the CBI tantamounts to weakening the case.’ Meanwhile, the news report in DNA newspaper, published from Mumbai, on Tuesday alleged that Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) group executives met Ranjit Sinha at least 50 times over 15 months. Two ADAG officials whom the newspaper named had met the CBI chief 50 times. This has put Sinha in a spot as he has already come under scathing attack for allegedly trying to derail the ongoing 2G trial against Reliance Telecom, said the report.
‘If one goes by the diary, it becomes clear the two have been visiting Sinha’s residence almost every week between May 2013 and August 2014. The frequency of their visits increased this year when Sinha moved a proposal to re-investigate the case against Reliance Telecom and Swan Telecom on grounds that some new facts have come to light. The duo met Sinha 27 times this year so far. The guest list reveals that the duo used to visit Sinha together and separately,’ said the news report.