Who will probe Ranjit Sinha ?
CVC or retired Judge
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Aug 19
The Centre is veering round to the view that probe into the allegations of clandestine meetings of ex-CBI director Ranjit Sinha with 2G spectrum scam and others should not be entrusted to former special director of the CBI M L Sharma.
Instead, the government is now consulting the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) if it can create a mechanism to hold an inquiry into these allegations. Some of the persons of eminence including the Attorney General of India, Mukul Rohtagi, may also assist the CVC in this probe.
This will be the first probe of its kind under the watchful eye of the Supreme Court into the conduct of the head of the premier investigation agency of the country.
The piquant situation arose after the Supreme Court proposed on July 6 the name of Sharma to head the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and he demanded a special legal status and 5-star facilities including six figure salary for himself.
It may be mentioned that the Supreme Court decided to probe the clandestine meetings Sinha had after advocate Prashant Bhushan produced the visitors' diary of his official residence. Following the SC directions, the AG held a meeting with Sharma who agreed to head the SIT. However, a couple of days later, Sharma sent a list of his requirements which included two dozen staff members, armed guards, huge office space in Lutyen’s Delhi and a six figure salary for himself.
As if this was not enough, Sharma wanted police powers to search, seizure and arrest for the SIT. Though Prashant Bhushan wanted that Sharma be entrusted with the Police powers, the government is in no mood to do so and set a new precedent. The SC had created several SITs in the past on many issues. But never before, SIT had been given police powers.
It is learnt that the Law Ministry is consulting other stake holders before a final view is taken. The CVC already has mechanism with it. A final decision in this regard will be taken shortly.
The SC had said that there could be no justification for Sinha's secret meetings with suspects and accused as disclosure of the visitors' diary had severely dented Sinha's reputation.
CVC or retired Judge
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Aug 19
The Centre is veering round to the view that probe into the allegations of clandestine meetings of ex-CBI director Ranjit Sinha with 2G spectrum scam and others should not be entrusted to former special director of the CBI M L Sharma.
Instead, the government is now consulting the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) if it can create a mechanism to hold an inquiry into these allegations. Some of the persons of eminence including the Attorney General of India, Mukul Rohtagi, may also assist the CVC in this probe.
This will be the first probe of its kind under the watchful eye of the Supreme Court into the conduct of the head of the premier investigation agency of the country.
The piquant situation arose after the Supreme Court proposed on July 6 the name of Sharma to head the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and he demanded a special legal status and 5-star facilities including six figure salary for himself.
It may be mentioned that the Supreme Court decided to probe the clandestine meetings Sinha had after advocate Prashant Bhushan produced the visitors' diary of his official residence. Following the SC directions, the AG held a meeting with Sharma who agreed to head the SIT. However, a couple of days later, Sharma sent a list of his requirements which included two dozen staff members, armed guards, huge office space in Lutyen’s Delhi and a six figure salary for himself.
As if this was not enough, Sharma wanted police powers to search, seizure and arrest for the SIT. Though Prashant Bhushan wanted that Sharma be entrusted with the Police powers, the government is in no mood to do so and set a new precedent. The SC had created several SITs in the past on many issues. But never before, SIT had been given police powers.
It is learnt that the Law Ministry is consulting other stake holders before a final view is taken. The CVC already has mechanism with it. A final decision in this regard will be taken shortly.
The SC had said that there could be no justification for Sinha's secret meetings with suspects and accused as disclosure of the visitors' diary had severely dented Sinha's reputation.
