New Delhi: The issue of the removal of a CBI prosecutor in the 2G case was raised today in the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the scam. Watch: 2G scam: CBI removes prosecutor l Expose won't affect case: CBI l Not all corrupt in CBI: Swamy
CBI Director Ranjit Sinha was quizzed by Opposition members about the removal of the prosecutor in the 2G case during the meeting.
Top CBI officials appeared before JPC this morning to inform it about the progress made in the 2G case.
Sinha is learnt to have told the Committee, chaired by PC Chacko, that the veracity of the purported taped conversations between CBI prosecutor AK Singh and Unitech Managing Director Sanjay Chandra was yet to be established.
As Sinha appeared before the JPC examining the alleged irregularities in allocation of 2G spectrum, questions on the removal of Singh were first put to him by opposition members.
The CBI chief's testimony was slated as one of the last presentations to the JPC along with that of Telecom Secretary R Chandrashekhar.
CBI removed a public prosecutor from the 2G spectrum case AK Singh after he was caught in an alleged taped conversation discussing prosecution strategy with one of the high-profile accused Sanjay Chandra, managing director of Unitech.
CBI said that Singh has been removed from the 2G case trial's prosecution team and a Preliminary Enquiry has been registered to verify these allegations.
The court has been informed about the developments, the spokesperson said, adding another prosecutor KK Goyal has been appointed to the team to assist in the ongoing trial.
"The CBI has alleged that Chandra and Unitech forged documents to qualify for the spectrum, with the telecom ministry under Raja helping by arbitrarily changing the eligibility criteria to favour the company and a few others at the expense of others," according to a report published in a national daily.
“The CBI is fully confident that owing to soundness of evidence and comprehensive, detailed investigation conducted by it , there should be no impact on the trial ,” said CBI’s spokesperson.
“While authenticity of said tape and allegations are under probe , it is emphasized CBI has an extremely strict vigilance mechanism, so every complaint is being & will be pursued pro actively,” he added.
Chandra has reportedly refused having any conversation with the CBI prosecutor in the entire case.
A statement was released by Unitech which said, “Sanjay Chandra is currently unavailable owing to bereavement in his family. However, he wishes to make it absolutely clear that he has never met the Prosecutor in the 2G case outside of Court or had any phone conversation with him. He denies the suggestion that his voice is on any alleged recording. It appears a fabricated voice recording has been sent anonymously to the CBI.”
“In the past also, in several cases if fabricated recordings have been played out but not one of them have stood the test of judicial scrutiny,” the statement added.
The excerpts from the audio recording below:
• In the taped conversation AK Singh is allegedly heard advising how to muddle up the proceedings.
• AK Singh suggests how a key prosecution witness will depose in the court and gives details of a three judge Supreme Court judgement which could be used as a reference in the legal approach.
• The conversation also involves Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa, another co-accused in this case. AK Singh allegedly says it is Balwa who has spoilt everyone's interests in the trial and Balwa has not been advised correctly by his legal team and other associates.
• AK Singh offers to examine the defence witness at whichever date recommended by the defence and Sanjay Chandra suggests the name of Gaurav Jain, his company’s senior legal manager.
• AK Singh is asking Chandra what is the worth of a government lawyer like him in the industry. The reply allegedly given by Chandra, who is telling Singh if he works for a corporate sector then he might very well get a remuneration of Rs 3 to 4 lakh and that daily appearance rates of lawyers have doubled post the 2G expose.
• Chandra then asks Singh about details of the chargesheet in the Vodafone case and whether he is handling that case too. He suggests Singh it be filed as soon as possible to reduce pressure on them.
Watch: 2G scam: CBI removes prosecutor l Expose won't affect case: CBI l Not all corrupt in CBI: Swamy
