PM raises eyebrow, Minister Aiyar’s daughter dropped from Dabhol panel

The presence of Suranya Aiyar, daughter of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, in the legal team was brought to Singh’s notice after a Cabinet Meeting which discussed the London arbitration. The Attorney General was informed about the ‘‘objection’’ and Suranya’s name was taken off the panel.

In fact, in a written communication sent to the Committee of Secretaries by the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) constituted by the Government to monitor the Dabhol cases, Suranya’s name figures in the list of five legal counsel appointed by the Attorney General.

The list showed her as one of the two independent lawyers on the Dabhol panel, along with the Attorney General and law firm Fox & Mandal.

When contacted by The Indian Express, Mani Shankar Aiyar claimed he knew ‘‘nothing’’ about the episode and said that an unnecessary controversy was being created. ‘‘Nobody has spoken to me about this matter and I know nothing about it. I don’t understand why being related to me should become a burden for anyone.’’

Said Suranya Aiyar: ‘‘I got a job offer because of which I had to give up my other assignments including this one. I don’t know if anyone had any other sort of objections.’’

Som Mandal, the Managing Partner of Fox & Mandal, the firm picked to be the new solicitors for the Dabhol litigation in India, said: ‘‘Suranya worked for a month on Dabhol but we were subsequently informed she would not be able to continue. We were told she had too many other cases to handle and would not be able to spend the kind of time the matter needed.’’

Mandal said that although she wasn’t in the panel any more, other things were now falling into place. A new solicitor firm, Watson Farley and Williams, has been appointed in London and has since taken over all documentation from M/S DLA, the firm appointed when the NDA government was in power.

A team of solicitors from Watson Farley and Williams is, at present, in New Delhi for consultations with the Government.

Other changes have been made as well. Given the importance of the case, Cabinet Secretary B K Chaturvedi has formally been asked to oversee the progress of the litigation. He will be assisted by Anup Mishra, a Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat.

IMG sources said this was necessary since coordination at a ‘‘high level’’ was needed and Finance Minister P Chidambaram has already recused himself in the matter citing conflict of interest.

In another related development, former Chief Justice of India Justice A M Ahmadi has been picked to depose as a key witness before the arbitration tribunal in London. It is understood he will give evidence on the independence of the Indian judiciary. Along with the panel of lawyers and solicitors, changes have also been made in the list of some 15 witnesses who will travel to London to give evidence.