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ED Backs Officer Probing 2G Case After Supreme Court Nod For Probe

ED and BJP MP Subramanian Swamy defence ED Joint Director Rajeshwar Singh.

A gavel placed on a block for this arranged photograph (Source: Freepik)
A gavel placed on a block for this arranged photograph (Source: Freepik)

The Enforcement Directorate today said the call from Dubai received by its Joint Director Rajeshwar Singh for which an intelligence agency generated a report was pertaining to an ongoing investigation.

The “secret report” was submitted in the Supreme Court by the Centre today regarding Singh, who is investigating the Aircel-Maxis and 2G spectrum cases. After the Supreme Court diluted immunity to Singh from any investigation against him, the ED and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Subramanian Swamy came out in defence of the officer.

A letter written by Singh, an erstwhile Uttar Pradesh Police officer, to Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia in which serious questions have been raised against the senior IAS officer also became public in social media through informal channels.

In its statement, the ED said, “To put the record straight Dr Rajeshwar Singh received a call in 2016 from a person based out of Dubai who gave important information regarding a case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate.”

Dr Rajeshwar Singh passed on this information to the Directorate and the same was used in the investigation of the case. It is important to note that he received only one call and that too it was an incoming call from this person in Dubai.
Enforcement Directorate

The directorate said Singh is a responsible officer with outstanding career records.

“A report related to the matter was generated by an intelligence agency about this call which was duly clarified by the Directorate that the phone call was related to an ongoing investigation. The matter was laid to rest,” it said.

During the arguments in Supreme Court today, Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing for the Centre, said the government was willing to probe the charges that Singh had amassed disproportionate assets, as he handed over a communication in a sealed cover to the bench.

After going through the report submitted in sealed cover by the central government, the vacation bench of the Supreme Court today said, "It is highly sensitive. Issues of nation's security are involved. These are serious issues. We cannot shut our eyes to it."

The bench observed, "As a matter of fact, when there is an allegation, whether right or wrong, against you (Singh), it has to be looked into".

"The other issue is that you should not be victimised. The third point is whether it would be appropriate for you to investigate when you are under a cloud and under investigation," the bench said, adding "the things which have come before us are startling".

The ED said one Radhey Shyam Rai connected with Upendra Rai, who was arrested by the CBI and ED in extortion case, had access to the secret report as Rai has already tweeted about it.