2G scam: CBI chief Sinha tells SC his visitors’ diary has been ‘faked’

Ranjit Sinha, the head of the Central Bureau of Investigation, today rebutted allegations that it was inappropriate for him to meet executives from Reliance Telecom at his own residence, as the CBI has accused the company of criminal conspiracy in the telecom scam.

"I have met officials of Reliance but have I shown favour to anyone?" he told NDTV, adding that these meetings took place "once or twice" at an office in his home - and not 50 times as alleged  in a recent media report.

Sinha also described as "fake" a visitors' diary from his home which will be reviewed by the Supreme Court on Thursday; though he ceded that some entries in that register were correct.

The visitors' book, maintained by security guards at Sinha's Delhi home, was submitted in court by lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan, who claims that Sinha met executives from Reliance with alarming regularity at his house even as the trial against the company progressed in a Delhi court.

Bhushan represents NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation, whose Public Interest Litigation resulted in the Supreme Court monitoring the case. In the course of the proceedings, he offered to place the entry register of Sinha's residence as proof, creating a stir in the court.

Reliance Telecom, owned by Anil Ambani, is among the companies accused of paying kickbacks to former telecom minister A Raja to get mobile network licenses in 2008.  Some of its top executives were jailed, along with Raja.

All the accused are now out on bail but are being tried on criminal charges.

"I have two registers maintained by the police but this is fake," said Sinha of the diary that the Supreme Court has been given.