Probe Bhushan's role in leaking 2G judgment: Sena MP to PM

Chandrakant Khaire, a Shiv Sena MP from Maharashtra, has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for an investigation into lawyer Prashant Bhushan's role in circulating an unofficial version of the Supreme Court's judgment in the 2G spectrum case on February 2.

Chandrakant Khaire, the Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP from Aurangabad in Maharashtra, in a letter written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has raised concerns about the leaking of an 'unofficial version' of the Supreme Court's judgment in the 2G spectrum case order announced February 2 and the media reporting incorrect facts based on that version.

According to this letter -- please click here to read the letter, a copy of which is with Rediff.com -- the media quoting the 'unofficial version' of the Supreme Court judgment reported that the apex court had asked the telecom regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, to make fresh recommendations for grant of the 122 cancelled licenses in 22 service areas within two months.

The official order, which Khaire's letter says was uploaded on the Supreme Court's Web site at around 5 pm on February 2 has no mention of the time frame and 'only states that keeping in mind the recommendations made by the Central Government in 2011, TRAI shall make fresh recommendations for grant of license and allocation of spectrum in 2G band.'

In an attack on Prashant Bhushan, the counsel for the petitioner, the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, the MP's letter says, 'It is also shocking to read that such (unofficial) copy of the judgment was circulated by the petitioner's counsel -- Mr Prashant Bhushan prior to the official copy of the judgment being made available by the Hon'ble Supreme Court.'

Speaking to Rediff.com, the Shiv Sena MP said he has not received a response to his letter dated February 8 from the Prime Minister's Office.

"Normally, I get a response within a week's time. But I haven't heard anything from the PM's office yet," he told Rediff.com

Khaire declined to comment on Prashant Bhushan's role. "Whatever I have to say (about Prashant Bhushan) is mentioned in the letter," the Shiv Sena MP said.

Reacting to the letter, Bhushan admitted that the unofficial version of the Supreme Court judgment was mailed to the media by a junior from his office without his permission.

"It is true that my junior mailed it, but he did not have my permission. One of my clerks got the copy of the judgment from the clerk of another lawyer and my junior mailed it without my permission," Bhushan told Rediff.com in a conversation over the telephone.

When pointed out that Khaire had asked the prime minister to investigate his role in the episode -- the MP raised concerns that 'this matter pertains to the integrity of the highest court of the country and its functioning' -- in his letter, Prashant Bhushan said there is "nothing sinister about it. Where is the question of the integrity of the Supreme Court involved in this?"

Copies of Khaire's letter have also been sent to the Chief Justice of India, Union Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram and Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid.