Sahara chief accused of interference in 2G probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today accused Sahara Group chief, Subrata Roy, of interfering in the 2G investigation process. In an application before the apex court, the ED accused Roy of non-cooperation in the investigation and stated that Roy failed to appear before it, despite summons. Neither did any representative turn up on behalf of Roy, the directorate added.

According to the directorate, Roy had also committed contempt of court, and a newspaper owned by the Sahara group had posed some questions to one of the investigating officers, Rajeshwar Singh.

The bench of justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly also issued a notice to Subodh Jain, a journalist working with Sahara News Network for allegedly threatening and intimidating the officer probing the case.

The order of the bench came in response to a submission made by senior counsel KK Venugopal, appearing for CBI and ED. According to Venugopal, Singh was being targeted by the Sahara Group in retaliation for a summons issued to the Sahara group and Roy in connection with the probe into the 2G scam.

Venugopal said, on 2 February 2011, Rajeshwar Singh issued summons to Sahara group and Subrata Roy under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the 2G scam investigation, which required him to appear before the ED on 17 February 2011. However, Roy claimed to be unwell and sent a representative with documents. 

He added that Roy had been summoned again on another occasion but he again failed to appear.