New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday said it
would examine whether vigilance commissioners R Sri Kumar and
J M Garg could be entrusted with the job of supervising the
CBI probe in the 2G Spectrum scam.
A bench of justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly at the
fag end of the day`s proceeding said it would also consider
the suggestion of Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL)
counsel Prashant Bhushan that a retired officer of
"unimpeachable integrity" should be appointed to assist the
CVC in the supervision.
The bench also asked Bhushan to give a list of
possible names.
The apex court`s decision comes in the backdrop of
Wednesday`s decision by the Chief Vigilance Commissioner P J
Thomas` offer to recuse himself from the matter in view of the
question raised by the Bench on his moral authority to
supervise the country`s biggest scam.
Thomas was the Telecom Secretary at the time when the
controversial licenses were issued for the 2G Spectrum.
Earlier, senior counsel K K Venugopal appearing for
CBI informed the court that while the entire investigations
would be completed within six months, the second status report
will be filed in six weeks.
He said besides questioning various people in the
country the agency has also sent Letters Rogatory to various
foreign countries to track the trail of the money if any
stashed in foreign soil.
"When we would file the next report, it would have the
names and details of the persons against whom we are
examining. It would give the court a fair idea that where the
investigation is heading," he said.
On this, the bench said that it would go through the
earlier status report filed by CBI on Monday and give
direction to the probe agency if required.
"We would go through the sealed investigation report
and we would give directions (to CBI) if required," the bench
said.
On November 29, CBI had submitted status report before
the apex court as per its direction, which was opened and read
by the bench in open court and was then immediately re-sealed.
CBI has faced the heat for slow progress of
investigation in alleged Rs 1,76,000 crore 2G Spectrum scam.
On November 25, the court had castigated CBI on why it
had not questioned Raja and the telecom secretary in the case,
saying the agency was "beating around the bush" when
"illegality is prima facie evident".
The bench had lambasted CBI for failing to examine the
former minister and the telecom secretary, saying that it was
the "minimum expected" of it as the criticism had come from
CAG, a Constitutional authority.
PTI
