New Delhi: A probe into the leak of
tapes of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia could show the hand of
of a prominent telecom company in circulating the conversation
in public domain.
Sources privy to the investigations claimed that the
probe so far had indicated that a mirror image of the entire
conversation was stored in the data bank of the telecom
company, where the tapping was done on the instructions
of the government.
The tapping was done at the request of the Income Tax
department after taking sanction from the competent
authorities.
The role of a senior CBI official was also examined and
it was found that he was not not instrumental in leaking the
tapes of over 5,000 calls recorded by the Income Tax
department over a period.
Over the next few days, senior officials would be
summoning the nodal officers of the telecom company for
questioning. If any criminality is found, the case would
be handed over either to police or the CBI for prosecution
of the persons, the sources said.
Home Minister P Chidambaram had earlier in the day said
the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is inquiring into
alleged leak of tapes of telephone conversations between
corporate lobbyist Nira Radia and politicians, journalists and
industrialists.
"We have not ordered an inquiry. We have learnt that the
CBDT is inquiring into the matter...It was the CBDT which had
ordered the interceptions and it is looking into the alleged
leakage of the tapes," he had said.
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, official
sources had said.
Tata group chief Ratan Tata, in a petition before the
Supreme Court yesterday, has contended that the leakage of the
tapes in public domain have infringed upon his fundamental
Right to Privacy.
-PTI
