SC issues notice to centre on Radia tapes

The Supreme Court today sought the union government's response on a plea for disclosure of the entire contents of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia's conversation with politicians, journalists and corporate tycoons, which were tapped by government authorities.

A bench of justices G S Singhvi and S S Nijjar issued notice to the centre and adjourned the matter for further hearing on 2 February.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, seeking disclosure of the entire 5,800 conversations Radia had with different people, including ministers, journalists and top corporate executives, saying that it was in the public interest to disclose the contents as it might reveal corruption in different government departments.

The CPIL also pleaded for the issuance of a notification to protect the whistleblower who brought the Radia case into the public domain. Though there is a provision for the protection of a whistleblower, it is limited only to cases where the person has complained to the Central Vigilance Commission.

The government had taped Radia's telephonic conversation on a complaint to the finance ministry that she had been indulging in anti-national activities.

The petitioner also pleaded that disclosure of the contents of Radia tapes would be in immense public interest as it might expose the vicious cycle of corruption involving its various stakeholders, including politicians, bureaucrats, corporate and business houses, and even journalists.

In the course of tapping Radia's conversations, the government had recorded her conversation with industrialist Ratan Tata, who too has moved court seeking its direction to the government to probe leakage of the part of the Radia tapes containing his conversation.

Tata had move the court against leakage of his conversation with Ms. Radia, saying that it violated his right to privacy, linked to his Fundamental Right of Life with dignity.