PM asks for report on Radia tapes in one month

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said he wants report on phone tappings of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia in the next one month.

?I am aware of the nervousness in some sections of the corporate sector arising out of the powers conferred upon Governmental authorities to tap phones for protecting national security and preventing tax evasion and money laundering,? Singh said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of India Corporate Week 2010 here.

?While these powers are needed in the world that we live in, they have to be exercised with utmost care and under well defined rules, procedures and mechanisms so that they are not misused. We must also look for solutions through technology to prevent access of telephone conversation to systems outside the institutional framework of government.?

?Legal mechanisms already exist and they are in place. They need to be strengthened for more effective enforcement. I am asking the Cabinet Secretary to look into these issues and report back to the Cabinet within the next one month,? the PM said.

Singh also assured private business entrepreneurs a ?level playing field? free from fear.

?Let me also take this opportunity to reaffirm our Government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment conducive to the growth of the corporate sector in our country. We wish to provide a level playing field for private businesses, free from fear or favour,? he said.

He said the private sector is now contributing significantly in all sectors of the Indian economy.

?India has always been a nation of entrepreneurs?.we are witnessing the emergence of the Indian multi-national on the global corporate stage. The private sector now contributes significantly to all sectors of our economy, including infrastructure development, which until recently was an exclusive preserve of the public sector until a few years ago.?

?In recent years, the private sector is also successfully engaged with the government in PPP projects. India?s corporate sector is poised to become the main engine of growth for the Indian economy. The responsibility it carries is, therefore, truly enormous,? said Singh.

Singh?s reaction comes a day after the Supreme Court asked the UPA government to file a copy of the complaint received by the Union Finance Ministry against 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.