AS A huge relief to Ratan Tata, the government has assured the Supreme Court of India to take every measure to check the leak of his personal transcripts with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia. In an affidavit filed by the government on Friday, December 10, the apex court has been apprised of adequate measures in place to ensure that no transcript is leaked further.
The Supreme Court had issued a notice to the government on Ratan Tata’s petition where he had sought the investigation of transcripts containing his private conversation with Radia being leaked to the media. Miffed over the whole issue, Ratan had approached the Supreme Court to stop any further publication.
Citing the issue of security and intrusion into public life, Ratan had approached the apex court and had urged to put an end to infringement of his fundamental Right to Life, which includes right to privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution. He had opined that by doing so, his personal life was ruined and even could pose a threat to his security.
In response to Ratan Tata’s petition regarding the leakage of Radia tapes, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the Income Tax (IT) department, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the government. The Court had also issued notices to Open Magazine and Outlook Magazine.
In November 2010, OPEN and Outlook magazines carried out a story which revealed transcripts of some of the telephone conversations of corporate lobbyist Nira Radia with senior journalists, politicians, and corporate houses. The IT department tapped Radia’s calls with the who’s who of India Inc during 2008-09 on the behest of government, and handed over the tapes to the CBI in May.
The tapes appear to demonstrate how Radia attempted to use high profile personalities to influence the decision to appoint A. Raja as telecom minister after the general elections in May 2009. She has also been accused of fixing mobile bandwidth licenses on behalf of some corporate houses. In one such tape, which was leaked, Ratan Tata is in a casual conversation with Radia over various issues.
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