Chidambaram says, Direct Taxes Board inquiring into leak of Niira Radia tapes

NEW DELHI - Home Minister P. Chidambaram said on Tuesday the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is inquiring into alleged leak of tapes of telephone conversations between London-based lobbyist Niira Radia and politicians, journalists and industrialists.

Interacting with mediapersons at a press conference here, Chidambaram said: “We have not ordered an inquiry. The CBDT is inquiring into the matter. It was the CBDT which had ordered the interceptions and it is looking into the alleged leakage of the tapes.”

The CBDT had conducted the phone tappings over a period of time for which the Ministry gave the sanction, sources said.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who has filed a public interest litigation seeking the prosecution of former Telecom Minister A Raja, said he would robustly contest Ratan Tata’s move to seek an injunction against the release of the tapes.

“We are seriously considering filing an application in the SC to ensure there is no injunction against these tapes and these recordings are put out in the public domain,” Bhushan said.

The tapes had come into the public domain recently after certain media groups published transcripts of the same.

As per the CBI, which is probing the alleged 2G spectrum scam, it was examining transcripts relating to 5,000 calls.

Nearly 104 tapping records are out in the market, sources said. (ANI)