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The Central government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the Niira Radia tapes that created a furore when the 2G spectrum allocation scam was unfolding were actually tampered.
The Centre also said that tapes, released by the media, were not leaked by government agencies.
The Centre’s submission came in response to the Supreme Court direction seeking the report of a probe ordered into the leakage of classified documents/telephonic intercepts of the corporate lobbyist’s conversations with politicians, businessmen and journalists.
The Bench will now take up for final hearing Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata’s petition seeking a ban on further publication of the tapped conversations.
The Centre had earlier told the court that it was taking the issue of leakage seriously and on December 27, 2010, the Union finance ministry had appointed two senior officers to inquire into the leakage.
Tata’s counsel Mukul Rohtagi had urged the SC to lay down guidelines for media to observe in reporting such conversations.
He submitted that while the freedom of the press is vital, an individual’s right to privacy is also equally important and hence a balance has to be struck to avoid conflict of interests.
The Centre also said that tapes, released by the media, were not leaked by government agencies.
The Centre’s submission came in response to the Supreme Court direction seeking the report of a probe ordered into the leakage of classified documents/telephonic intercepts of the corporate lobbyist’s conversations with politicians, businessmen and journalists.
The Bench will now take up for final hearing Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata’s petition seeking a ban on further publication of the tapped conversations.
The Centre had earlier told the court that it was taking the issue of leakage seriously and on December 27, 2010, the Union finance ministry had appointed two senior officers to inquire into the leakage.
Tata’s counsel Mukul Rohtagi had urged the SC to lay down guidelines for media to observe in reporting such conversations.
He submitted that while the freedom of the press is vital, an individual’s right to privacy is also equally important and hence a balance has to be struck to avoid conflict of interests.
