SC issues contempt notice to Sahara chief Roy, scribes

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New Delhi, May 6:The Supreme Court today found prima facie ground for initiating suo motu contempt proceedings against Sahara Group Chief Subrata Roy for allegedly interfering with the probe in the 2G spectrum case, warning that anybody crossing the "lakshman rekha" will become "state guest".
The apex court said there was a prima facie case against Roy and two journalists--Upendra Rai and Subodh Jain-- of Sahara India News Network and directed them to respond to the notices within six weeks.
The bench took serious note of the fact that after summons were issued to the CMD of Sahara group under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act from February 2 onwards, "crude methods" were adopted to terrorise, intimidate and blackmail Enforcement Directorate''s Assistant Director Rajeshwar Singh, who is the investigating officer in the 2G spectrum case.
"Having gone through the records we are prima facie of the view that an attempt has been made to interfere with the investigation conducted by Rajeshwar Singh in what has been described as 2G spectrum scam case and related matters. Therefore, we take suo motu cognisance and issue notices to them," a bench of justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said.
The bench also banned Sahara India News Network and its sister concerns from publishing and broadcasting any story or programme relating to Singh.
"No story should be published. If it happens somebody will become government guest. This should not happen. This is unacceptable. They should know what the lakshman rekha is," the bench said.
The bench was anguished that after summons were issued asking Roy to appear before the ED with documents relating to some transactions including to Chennai-based S-Tel which has come under the scanner of CBI on the issue of national security, Rai and Jain became active in interfering with the course of investigation.
Singh, who filed the petition in his personal capacity, said that Jain sent him 25 questions relating to him and his families assets, contacts and others and threatened to start a campaign against him by publishing and broadcasting series of stories.
The bench took strong exception to the letters written to Singh by Jain making personal insinuations when the probe was continuing.
"It is ridiculous that personal life of Singh has been tried to be sullied after notice (for summons) was issued to the Sahara''s CMD. You (Jain) planned to do series of stories based on documents in your possession after summons were issued to your CMD.
"Nexus is more than apparent," the bench said and also noted that "there appears to be an attempt to offer bribe to an officer". .