Centre to decide if ED officer accused of corruption will probe Aircel-Maxis case: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it is upto the Centre to decide if the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer, accused of corruption, will continue to investigate the Aircel Maxis case.

The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Rajneesh Kapur who sought an investigation against senior ED officer Rajeshwar Singh in a disproportionate assets case.

While hearing the petition, the Supreme Court favoured a probe into allegations against the ED officer involved in the investigation into the "highly sensitive" 2G spectrum allocation scam and cases arising out of it including the Aircel-Maxis deal, saying "no officer should be under any cloud".

The court said the allegations levelled against Rajeshwar Singh were serious and required to be looked into.

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.

The bench, after perusing documents placed before it in a sealed cover, said sensitive issues were involved in the matter.

"As a matter of fact, when there are allegations, whether right or wrong against you (Singh) it has to be looked into," the bench said, adding "the things which have come before us are startling." "You are simply an officer. You can't be given a blanket clean chit. Everybody is accountable. You must be accountable for any action. We need to ensure that you are accountable. We don't want to damage you or comment against you. There are very serious allegations against you," the bench told the officer.

Rajneesh Kapur, who claims to be an investigative journalist, has filed a petition in the apex court seeking investigation against Singh for allegedly amassing assets which are disproportionate to his known source of income. Singh has also filed a separate contempt plea against Kapur and has claimed that attempts have been made to scuttle or delay the ongoing probe in the Aircel Maxis case.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has also moved the top court seeking its permission to implead himself as a party in the plea filed by Kapur.