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'So many
zeroes...' Supreme Court raps tax department on 2G
Thursday May 05, 2011 04:00:29 PM, IANS
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New Delhi: The Supreme
Court Thursday pulled up the income tax department for slow and
sketchy investigations into the 2G scam, saying figures in its
status report "were mindboggling" and had "so many zeroes".
The court also noted that investigations by the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the scam
had been "fast-paced" so far, but said it would consider
appointing a committee of eminent people to monitor their probe.
Justice G.S. Singvi and Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly asked the
director general, income tax, to file a comprehensive report
giving full details of its probe into the role of people in the
scam, in particular from the time it got in October telephonic
intercepts of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia.
As the status report by the income tax department was being read
to the court, Justice Ganguly said: "The figures are
mind-boggling. We have never seen so many zeroes."
The court asked the income tax department: "What was the day when
you sent the notices and what was the progress on those notices?"
It said in the "last six months we have seen fast-paced
investigations by the CBI and the ED. The IT department should
have been more quicker because there are cases of tax evasion".
The court said that the cases "should not be treated with an
ordinary approach. We would like to have a detailed and
comprehensive report to be submitted by May 16".
The judges granted the income tax department the liberty to
approach the CBI special judge trying the 2G scam if they wanted
to examine any official in custody.
They also directed the department to supply copies of its status
report to the CBI and ED.
The apex court said it would consider senior counsel Prashant
Bhushan's suggestion for the appointment of a group of eminent
persons to assist the court in monitoring investigation into the
scam by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for CBI, opposed a
monitoring committee for now, saying it would mean expressing lack
of confidence in investigation by the CBI.
He said officers of the CBI and ED would proceed to Mauritius with
letters rogatory to track the money trail in the 2G scam.
He said the court can wait till July when a further status report
would be filed by the CBI and ED on their return from Mauritius.
However, the court said it will hold further hearing May 13 on the
plea by Prashant Bhushan seeking appointment of a monitoring
committee.
The scam relates to irregularities in the allocation of airwaves
to telecom firms that allegedly caused huge losses to the national
exchequer. Several corporate bigwigs besides former communications
minister A. Raja are in jail because of the scam.
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