Tata-Radia conversations leakage unfortunate but inevitable: PC

Source :4 DEC, 2010, 04.49AM IST,ET BUREAU 


 Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday said leaks of taped conversations were unfortunate but inevitable, and that such things tend to happen when there’s a major scam. 

“See, what was recorded was conversation of a person suspected to have violated tax laws. We were recording only one end of the conversation but, as it happens, the other end was also recorded. But I am afraid that when there’s a major scam and a major tax violation and such conversations are recorded, things tend to get leaked. It is unfortunate but some of this is inevitable,” Mr Chidambaram told ET NOW, this paper’s sister channel, at the sidelines of an award function for small and medium enterprises, organised by the broadcaster and Indiamart.com. 

Earlier this week, industrialist Ratan Tata had appealed to the Supreme Court against the leaks of his conversation with lobbyist Niira Radia .


 The petition sought an inquiry into the leaks “which are not remotely connected with the purpose for which the investigating agencies had conducted the tapping”. 

Besides Mr Tata, Ms Radia’s conversations with bureaucrats, journalists and other businessmen that were recorded by the income-tax authorities in connection with their investigations also found their way to the media and into the public domain. 


The government subsequently ordered an investigation into the issue and the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is now probing how the tapes got leaked. 

No need to worry 

Replying to a question about concerns about whether scams and government probes would vitiate the business environment in the country, Mr Chidambaram said India Inc need not be worried. 

“It’s sad that there are some bad patches but as Professor Bhagwati said yesterday (Thursday), ‘let’s not exaggerate corruption’ . It is an issue which must be addressed and anyone involved in corruption must be punished. 

But I don’t think you should allow yourself to be drowned in this cacophony that everything is corrupt and everybody is corrupt.”