SC wants copy of Niira Radia complaint

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to file a copy of the complaint received by the Union Finance Ministry against corporate lobbyist Niira Radia that led to tapping of her telephonic conversations.

According to reports, the apex court asked Attorney General of India GE Vahanvati to submit a copy of the complaint in a sealed cover.

“We make it clear nobody’s image should be tarnished. Every individual has the right to protect his dignity,” the court was quoted as saying by NDTV news channel.

The Supreme Court also asked media to ?use restraint? while reporting the issue.

“We would like to say that over the last three weeks, there were distorted proceedings of the court. So far we have ignored it. But don’t take the risk of hauled up. Nobody will be allowed to play with the court. Use restraint,” the court said.

As reported by the news channel, the court said media?s role is that of ?watchdogs? in the society, but ?they should not cross the lakshman rekha?.

The next hearing on the case will be on February 2, while Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata was asked to file another affidavit on the case by January 1.

On Dec 11, 800 more tapes of Radia?s conversations with politicians, businessmen and journalists were released.

The Outlook magazine, in its latest issue, has released 800 new tapes of recorded conversations of Radia with various big-wigs.

The latest tapes have several prominent names, including Tarun Das, former chief of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The first batch of 140 tapes were leaked three weeks ago, featuring Radia?s conversations with several heavyweights, including Tata group chairman Ratan Tata and journalists Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi.

The latest tape leak comes just a day after the Government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, stating that it is taking all possible steps to ensure that transcripts of Radia tapes are not leaked further.

However, the affidavit mentioned that Radia?s phone tapping was ?authorized? and ?done within legal ambit?.

Radia?s telephonic conversations were recorded for over 120 days in 2008 and over 60 days in 2009.

On Dec 2, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the government in connection to Radia tapes, after Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata sought privacy on the matter.

The apex court has also slapped notices on Indian magazines Outlook and Open that published transcripts and audio tapes (on their websites) of purported conversations between Radia and others.

On Nov 28, peeved over the publication of tapes of conversation of its corporate communications official, Ratan Tata said he would move the Supreme Court for violation of right to privacy.

The Tata’s petition in the Supreme Court will focus on the fact that phones can be tapped but they should not be made public.

He said the Tata Group never subverted any policy through Niira Radia, the public relations consultant of the Tatas belonging to Vaishnavi Communications firm.

Radia, whose agency handles public relations for the Tata Group and Reliance Industries, has been questioned by the government agencies that are probing her alleged role in the award of a number of telecom licences in 2008.

The government?s chief auditor has said that these licences cost the exchequer Rs 1,76,000 crore because they were sold at prices set in 2001.

A Raja, who was the telecom minister when the permits were issued, was forced to step down earlier this month.