Acting on a CD that allegedly raises suspicion about the role of its own public prosecutor in the 2G scam case, A K Singh, the CBI on Monday removed Singh from the trial and registered a preliminary enquiry to probe the development.
The CD containing voices of two persons is said to detail a discussion between Singh and Unitech MD Sanjay Chandra. The 17-minute audio clip was reportedly received by the CBI from an unknown source last week and was aired by TV news channel CNN-IBN on Monday. The CBI has informed the special court set up for 2G cases about the CD.
CNN-IBN claimed that Singh, in the purported taped conversation in its possession, can be heard advising how the proceedings in the 2G case against Unitech can be muddled. It is alleged that Singh is also suggesting ways to weaken the CBI's case against Unitech. The Indian Express has not accessed the CD and cannot independently verify its reported contents.
Unitech refuted the allegations sought to be made by the CD and said Chandra had neither met Singh outside court nor had any phone conversation with him.
It said the voice on the CD appeared fabricated and was an attempt to malign him and prejudice his defence in the 2G case.
CBI director Ranjit Sinha said he could not confirm the genuineness of the recording and a forensic examination would give the correct picture. But since the prosecutor has come under a cloud, he had been transferred from the case, he said, adding that until the inquiry is completed, CBI cannot take action against Singh.
"We have registered a PE and are verifying the allegations leveled in the audio tape. The CD containing the audio was received by CBI few days back from an unknown person," said CBI spokesperson Dharini Mishra. Sources said Chandra, who is alleged to be the second voice in the CD, was examined by CBI and also confronted with Singh on Monday.
In one of the conversations broadcast by CNN-IBN, Singh is alleged to be ignoring a suggestion made by the CBI's DIG: "Hamare se upar DIG ka phone aaya tha ki Srivastava se poocho ROC and memorandum wala issue. Maine bola kyun apne pair pe khuladi marwa rahe ho....Srivastava wahi bolega jo file pe hai (The DIG asked me to question one of the witnesses on the issue of memorandum and ROC but I suggested that it will invite trouble for our case)."
CNN-IBN also claimed that the CD contained an "unusual conversation" in which the "chief 2G prosecutor is asking Chandra what the worth of a government lawyer like him is in the market": "Hum logon ki biradari main kya kimat hogi?"
To which Chandra is alleged to have replied: "Dekho agar corporate mein naukri karo to 3-4 lakh but daily appearance ke hisaab se karo, before 2G rates alag hote, after 2g rates double ho gaye hai (If you work in the corporate sector, a salary of Rs 3-4 lakh, but rates of lawyers have doubled after the 2G scam if you work on the basis of daily appearance)."
Reached for comment, a Unitech spokesperson said in an email reply that Chandra was currently unavailable due to a 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," the spokesperson said.
"Any suggestion that Sanjay Chandra is linked with this recording is nothing but an attempt to malign him and prejudice his defence in the 2G case. Increasingly, manipulated voice recordings are finding their way into the public domain with ulterior motives. Despite the bereavement in his family, Sanjay Chandra has joined the CBI's enquiries and has made his stand crystal clear," the email said.
"It is regrettable that CNN-IBN did not deem it appropriate to wait for a determination by the CBI and forensic experts regarding the genesis and authenticity of the alleged voice recording before airing the same. It is reiterated that the recording is a fabrication. In the past also, in several cases fabricated recordings have been played out but not one of them have stood the test of judicial scrutiny," it added.
Courtesy:
Express news service : New Delhi, Tue Feb 12 2013, 04:35 hrs
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cbi-2g-prosecutor-removed-after-cd-triggers-doubt/1072947/0
The CD containing voices of two persons is said to detail a discussion between Singh and Unitech MD Sanjay Chandra. The 17-minute audio clip was reportedly received by the CBI from an unknown source last week and was aired by TV news channel CNN-IBN on Monday. The CBI has informed the special court set up for 2G cases about the CD.
CNN-IBN claimed that Singh, in the purported taped conversation in its possession, can be heard advising how the proceedings in the 2G case against Unitech can be muddled. It is alleged that Singh is also suggesting ways to weaken the CBI's case against Unitech. The Indian Express has not accessed the CD and cannot independently verify its reported contents.
Unitech refuted the allegations sought to be made by the CD and said Chandra had neither met Singh outside court nor had any phone conversation with him.
It said the voice on the CD appeared fabricated and was an attempt to malign him and prejudice his defence in the 2G case.
CBI director Ranjit Sinha said he could not confirm the genuineness of the recording and a forensic examination would give the correct picture. But since the prosecutor has come under a cloud, he had been transferred from the case, he said, adding that until the inquiry is completed, CBI cannot take action against Singh.
"We have registered a PE and are verifying the allegations leveled in the audio tape. The CD containing the audio was received by CBI few days back from an unknown person," said CBI spokesperson Dharini Mishra. Sources said Chandra, who is alleged to be the second voice in the CD, was examined by CBI and also confronted with Singh on Monday.
In one of the conversations broadcast by CNN-IBN, Singh is alleged to be ignoring a suggestion made by the CBI's DIG: "Hamare se upar DIG ka phone aaya tha ki Srivastava se poocho ROC and memorandum wala issue. Maine bola kyun apne pair pe khuladi marwa rahe ho....Srivastava wahi bolega jo file pe hai (The DIG asked me to question one of the witnesses on the issue of memorandum and ROC but I suggested that it will invite trouble for our case)."
CNN-IBN also claimed that the CD contained an "unusual conversation" in which the "chief 2G prosecutor is asking Chandra what the worth of a government lawyer like him is in the market": "Hum logon ki biradari main kya kimat hogi?"
To which Chandra is alleged to have replied: "Dekho agar corporate mein naukri karo to 3-4 lakh but daily appearance ke hisaab se karo, before 2G rates alag hote, after 2g rates double ho gaye hai (If you work in the corporate sector, a salary of Rs 3-4 lakh, but rates of lawyers have doubled after the 2G scam if you work on the basis of daily appearance)."
Reached for comment, a Unitech spokesperson said in an email reply that Chandra was currently unavailable due to a 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," the spokesperson said.
"Any suggestion that Sanjay Chandra is linked with this recording is nothing but an attempt to malign him and prejudice his defence in the 2G case. Increasingly, manipulated voice recordings are finding their way into the public domain with ulterior motives. Despite the bereavement in his family, Sanjay Chandra has joined the CBI's enquiries and has made his stand crystal clear," the email said.
"It is regrettable that CNN-IBN did not deem it appropriate to wait for a determination by the CBI and forensic experts regarding the genesis and authenticity of the alleged voice recording before airing the same. It is reiterated that the recording is a fabrication. In the past also, in several cases fabricated recordings have been played out but not one of them have stood the test of judicial scrutiny," it added.
Courtesy:
Express news service : New Delhi, Tue Feb 12 2013, 04:35 hrs
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cbi-2g-prosecutor-removed-after-cd-triggers-doubt/1072947/0
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