TIA correspondent
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) P J Thomas to respond to arguments that his former position as the top telecommunications bureaucrat makes him unfit to oversee a probe into the 2008 sale of wireless airwaves.
The order comes following a plea in the court seeking his removal from the key post.
The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia also issued a notice to the government on public interest litigation challenging the appointment of P.J. Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner. Thomas, 59, has separately been named by court relating to the import of palmolein when he was food secretary in Kerala.
Petitions filed with the apex court contend that Thomas cannot be considered as having ‘impeccable integrity’ and faces a “conflict of interest” over the spectrum probe as he was secretary in the department of telecommunications from October 2009 until September.
The apex court also issued notice to the government on the petition challenging the appointment of Thomas as the CVC on the ground that he is facing corruption charges. The court listed the matter for final hearing on 27th of this month.
Last week Thomas told media persons here he was very ‘impartial and take judicious decisions’ as per the law on every matter that comes to me.
Former Telecommunications Minister Andimuthu Raja, resigned two days before the CWG report to parliament that the sale of wireless 2 G spectrum licenses at below-market rates may have lowered government revenues by 1.4 trillion rupees.
Parliament has been stalled for about three weeks as oppositions demand a Joint parliamentary party probe into the spectrum allocation.
BJP reiterates demand for JPC probe
The BJP has reiterated its demand for a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum scam, the BJP on Monday charged the government with indulging in cover up activities to shield corrupt people. Talking to media persons here, party spokesman S S Ahluwalia demanded that either the CVC P J Thomas himself resign or the government nullify his appointment. Ahluwalia made it conditional that the opposition is ready to run both the houses, if the government acceded to its demand for JPC probe.
Meanwhile, the Congress described the opposition demand for JPC as illogical and purely political. Party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the investigation by central agencies like CBI, Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax authorities would be more effective than the probe by a JPC. He said the central agencies have the powers to punish the guilty but not the JPC.
Replying to a question, Mr Singhvi denied any pressure on the government from some of the UPA allies for setting up of a JPC.