Is Radia still being tapped: SC to govt

Tata has moved the court for action against those involved in the leakage of the tapes since it infringed his fundamental right to life,which includes right to privacy.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the central government if its agencies were still tapping telephonic conversations of former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia,whose conversations with various persons,including Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata,had come out in public domain after getting leaked.

On being informed that the investigation against Radia was not over yet,a Bench of Justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya asked the government to apprise them if it was still intercepting her telephonic conversations and also at what stage the probe was pending.

In pursuant to your statement that the investigation was not over,we would like to know if interception of Radias telephone is still on and if so,at what stage has your investigation reached. It is a very serious matter. Ratan Tata is very much interested in ensuring that his privacy is not breached whereas there is another side,which wants certain conversations to be made public, the Bench told Additional Solicitor General A S Chandhiok.

Tata has moved the court for action against those involved in the leakage of the tapes since it infringed his fundamental right to life,which includes right to privacy.

The court also sought to know what actions have been taken against Radia after tapping her phone by the Income Tax department and if there were any criminal cases proposed to be lodged. We would like to know whether investigation is still going on on the complaint against Radia and which agency is conducting the investigation and whether any FIR has been registered after tapping the conversations, said the court.

It also sought to know if the CBI,which was handed over certain tapes in connection with their probe in the 2G spectrum allocation scam,was also investigating into some aspects and if so,their status of the probe. On Tuesday,the court had asked the ASG to produce before it all the records pertaining to tapping of Radias telephone and also the subsequent measures taken by the government to ensure no leakage occurred in future.