Govt places in SC complaint leading to tapping of Radia''s cell

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Government today placed beforethe Supreme Court a copy of the complaint on basis of which itstarted tapping corporate lobbyist Niira Radia''s telephonicconversations with a host of people including politicians,corporate leaders and media personalities.

The copy of the complaint in sealed cover was placedbefore a bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and A K Gangulyby the Attorney General G E Vahanvati.

The bench said it will go through the complaint duringthe next hearing on February 24.

The complaint was produced by the government incompliance with the December 13 order passed on a petitionfiled by Tata group chief Ratan Tata seeking stoppage offurther publication of the leaked conversation between him andRadia.

In an affidavit, the government had told the apexcourt that it had begun tapping Radia''s telephone on acomplaint alleging that she was indulging in anti-nationalactivities and was acting as spy of foreign intelligenceagencies.

The complaint had alleged that she had built abusiness empire of Rs. 300 crore in a short span of nineyears, the affidavit had said.

The government had given the details as to how 180days of Radia''s conversations were recorded from August 20,2008 onwards for 60 days and the same was further extendedfrom October 19 for a period of 60 days. Later on May 8,2009, a fresh order for putting on surveillance her phone for60 days was given from May 11.

Tata, in his petition, has argued that making publichis conversation with Radia violated his right to speechand expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.