Department of Revenue submitted a report by Research and Analysis Wing wherein it is alleged that Singh was in touch with a UAE-based businessman Danish Shah, who is believed to be linked with Pakistan's ISI and army officials
Even as the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a probe into allegations of disproportionate assets of senior ED officer Rajeshwar Singh, a tug-of-war ensued between bureaucrats at Ministry of Finance's Department of Revenue and Enforcement Directorate. Singh is investigating the role of former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis deal.
On Wednesday, a vacation bench comprising justices Arun Mishra and S K Kaul said that allegations levelled against Singh were serious and required to be looked into and stated that "no officer should be under any cloud". The bench issued the order after hearing a plea of Rajneesh Kapur, reportedly an investigative journalist, seeking a probe against Singh for allegedly amassing assets which are disproportionate. In the hearing, additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing for the Centre, told the court that the government was willing to investigate the allegations that Singh amassed disproportionate assets and handed over a communication in a sealed cover to the bench.
In it, the Department of Revenue submitted a report by Research and Analysis Wing wherein it is alleged that Singh was in touch with a UAE-based businessman Danish Shah, who is believed to be linked with Pakistan's ISI and army officials. The bench, after perusing the documents, said sensitive issues were involved.
Interestingly though, the ED went against its controlling body — Department of Revenue — and issued a statement vouching for Singh.
Also coming to Singh's rescue was BJP MP Subramanian Swamy who told the SC that the document was available on Twitter and held a press conference later in the day stating that "some powerful people" were after Singh as he was investigating the Aircel-Maxis deal case.
Immediately after the Swamy presser, ED issued a statement supporting Singh. "To put the record straight, Rajeshwar Singh received a call in 2016 from a person based out of Dubai who gave important information regarding a case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. Rajeshwar Singh, being a responsible officer with outstanding career records, passed on this information to the Directorate."
Also hours after SC order, Singh wrote a letter to Hasmukh Adhia, Secretary Revenue wherein he has alleged that he was "continuously and consistently hounded" for standing up against those who were "rigging" the system. He also slammed former finance minister Chidambaram for making his life "hell" for investigating the Aircel-Maxis case. Singh said that he is paying the price for "clinging on to integrity and for doing what the law required him to do."
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