2G scam: Supreme Court to take up Ratan Tata's petition

New Delhi, Dec 2 (ANI): The Supreme Court will on Thursday take up a petition filed by Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata that seek a direction to be given to the government to probe the leakage of tapes containing his private conversation with corporate lobbyist Nira Radia.

The petition is listed for mentioning before a two-judge bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly, which is hearing the matter relating to the 2G scam.

In his petition, Tata sought action against those involved in the leakage of tapes alleging that such an act amounts to an infringement of his fundamental Right to Life, which includes the right to privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The petition, prepared under the guidance of senior advocate Harish Salve has contended, that since Radia's phone was tapped for the purposes of alleged tax evasion, it cannot be used for any other purpose.

On Wednesday, the apex court had directed the Central Government to deposit the original recording of the conversations between Radia and others.

The direction came after the government submitted that it had no objection to handing over the complete set of tapes following apprehensions that the tapes might be destroyed.

Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said he had got instructions that there was no objection to the handing over of the tapes, and that the court could give a direction for preserving them in whatever way it thought best.

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had questioned Radia for her alleged role in the scam.

Radia was summoned after the tapes exposed how she had allegedly lobbied with senior journalists and telecom companies and asked them to pay their part in the 2Gscam.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had in an affidavit said to the Supreme Court that the role of Radia would be examined in the 2G-spectrum allocation case in which irregularities were of 'enormous magnitude" having international ramifications. (ANI)