Centre files application against Swamy's remarks

21 January 2012 :

The Centre on Friday filed an application in the 2G case taking exception to the allegations made by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy against Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Congress president Sonia Gandhi during a lecture in Bangalore recently.

Senior counsel P.P. Rao, appearing for the Centre, mentioned the filing of the application before a Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and A.K. Ganguly and said the allegations were made even when judgment in the case was reserved by the Court.

The Bench, while asking Dr. Swamy to respond to the application, told Mr. Rao that it would consider during the course of hearing whether action should be initiated or not.

The Centre, in its application, said Dr. Swamy delivered a lecture titled ‘Hidden Facts about 2G Spectrum' organised by Youth against Corruption on October 19 last year even as the matter was sub judice and thereby interfered with the course of justice.

It wanted to place on record the speech and said: “The said speech shows that the sole object of Dr. Swamy is to malign and lower the image and prestige of public servants holding important offices in the Union government and Parliament.”

In his speech, Dr. Swamy had alleged that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh might have given Mr. Chidambaram a reprieve in the 2G spectrum case, but it was temporary and there was no way Mr. Chidambaram could escape from the long arm of law. Dr. Swamy also speculated that Ms. Gandhi would be in trouble.

Meanwhile, the Bench adjourned the hearing on the application filed by advocate Prashant Bhushan alleging Union Law Minister Salman Khursheed's interference in the 2G probe and slow progress in the probe against the former Telecom Minister, Dayanidhi Maran.

Source : The Hindu