CBI chief Ranjit Sinha counters charges, alleges perjury

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Ranjit Sinha who is facing allegations of shielding some accused and constantly meeting people allegedly involved in ongoing investigations has decided to counter the charges against him. Sinha has decided to move court alleging perjury for making false claims in the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, hinting it will give a serious hearing to the visitor's list case, asked petitioner Prashant Bhushan to file all documents in the form of an affidavit by Monday, the next date of hearing. Significantly, the court also said Bhushan will have to reveal his source.

PRESSURE BUILDS

But as pressure mounted on him, Sinha said "If the court orders, I shall recuse myself". This was in response to Bhushan's fresh application in the apex court seeking a direction to him to keep away from coal scam investigations "in view of his interference".

CBI sources said it appears there was "some kind of manipulation" in the list-of people who visited Sinha's official residence-made public. Sinha suspects foul play in the emergence of the visitors register.

"Let me tell you that as CBI chief I am a 'Z' category protectee with both the Delhi Police and the ITBP monitoring my security. There are two authorised registers maintained by the Delhi Police at my residence 2 Janpath. One is with respect to my personal movement, while the other is the diary run by the Delhi Police for senior officers to check on the duty roster. If someone is maintaining a third, what can I do?" Sinha told Mail Today on Wednesday.

NO MEDIA GAG

Meanwhile, rejecting fervent plea of Sinha's lawyer, the Supreme Court refused to restrain media from publishing names of "controversial" visitors to his residence. But, the court reminded that it was "a sensitive issue" which called for "reporting with responsibility". Surprisingly, Sinha's lawyer

Vikas Singh-while terming Bhushan's "leaking" of documents given in sealed cover and submitting pleas without revealing its source as "violative of law and Supreme Court Rules"-dragged in the name of former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal. Bhushan is also a leader of the AAP.

Justice HL Dattu, who headed the Bench, had told Singh that "Mr Bhushan knows the law. We had asked to give [the list] it in sealed cover so that we shall have a look before others see it. We do not know how it went into public domain. Of course, it is not from the registry".

However, Singh said, "Bhushan does not know the law. For Bhushan and Kejriwal, the country's rules do not apply. They think they are above the law and can do whatever they want."

Justice Dattu then said, "We will ask Bhushan if his application does not reveal the source".

Bhushan refused to reveal the source during the proceedings in the court. But in an application filed in the court seeking a direction to Sinha to recuse from the coal scam "for his interference in the probe",

Bhushan said the "information was received from a "trusted whistleblower".

Turning town a plea by Sinha to restrain media from publishing details of entry list, saying it violates his right to privacy and reputation, the Bench said, "We have no control over it (Press). We only have control over court proceedings."

Singh said the coverage of the controversy was doing "irreparable damage" to reputation of Sinha, who is a "very high functionary of the government and it was not the media's business to publish who met him in private".

WHAT HAPPENED IN SC

>> Prashant Bhushan has been asked to reveal the source of the guest entry register

>> He has been asked to file documents in the form of an affidavit by Monday>>

 Media allowed to publish visitors' list

>> Ranjit Sinha seeks dismissal of Bhushan's plea saying scandalous allegations cause 'irreparable damage' to his image and sealed cover was 'leaked'

>> Bench sets Monday for next date of hearing

>> Bhushan files fresh plea seeking Sinha's removal from coal blocks scam probe