The government hopes to explain why RK Datta, a contender for the CBI director's post, was shifted out.
New Delhi:
It is an appointment which is being scrutinised by the Supreme Court but the government's firefighting has already begun. As the Supreme Court asked the centre to explain why they had moved out the most senior claimant for the job of Central Bureau of Investigation director even though it was in violation of the court's directions, some details have now emerged about 1981 Karnataka cadre RK Datta's shift to the Home Ministry.
As special director, Mr Datta was in charge of the 2G and coal scam investigations and the court had said that no one from the probe team should be moved out without the court's prior consent.
In his letter to the opposition, minister in charge of the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said that he was transferred because of "complex" reasons.
NDTV has learnt that the government will tell the court that Mr Datta was moved not because they wanted him out of the way but because he has been "hand-picked" for heading a new wing in the Ministry of Home Affairs called "terror financing".
Highly-placed sources told NDTV that he will now coordinate with agencies like the Intelligence Bureau to be the point person on this project for the government.
Sources also point out that in response to allegations that the government didn't act according to rules and violated the Vineet Narain guidelines for appointment of the director by moving out a contender just two days before the CBI director was chosen, they will point to an opinion given by the Attorney General.
The outgoing director Anil Sinha asked Mukul Rohatgi about the propriety of transferring him and his view was that it was legitimate.
Dismissing these claims, senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan however said, "The Attorney General will give any opinion convenient to the government. Mr Datta has 20 years of experience in corruption cases and not terror financing. Why did the government curb his tenure?"
As special director, Mr Datta was in charge of the 2G and coal scam investigations and the court had said that no one from the probe team should be moved out without the court's prior consent.
In his letter to the opposition, minister in charge of the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said that he was transferred because of "complex" reasons.
NDTV has learnt that the government will tell the court that Mr Datta was moved not because they wanted him out of the way but because he has been "hand-picked" for heading a new wing in the Ministry of Home Affairs called "terror financing".
Highly-placed sources told NDTV that he will now coordinate with agencies like the Intelligence Bureau to be the point person on this project for the government.
Sources also point out that in response to allegations that the government didn't act according to rules and violated the Vineet Narain guidelines for appointment of the director by moving out a contender just two days before the CBI director was chosen, they will point to an opinion given by the Attorney General.
The outgoing director Anil Sinha asked Mukul Rohatgi about the propriety of transferring him and his view was that it was legitimate.
Dismissing these claims, senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan however said, "The Attorney General will give any opinion convenient to the government. Mr Datta has 20 years of experience in corruption cases and not terror financing. Why did the government curb his tenure?"
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