Supreme Court seeks govt response on Tata's plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday did not give any immediate relief on Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata's plea to prevent online portals and electronic media from publishing his private conversations with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia tapped by the income tax department.

Issuing notices to the Centre and its various departments besides news magazines, 'Open' and 'Outlook', which published some portions of the transcripts of Radia's conversations with several people including Tata, the apex court sought their response within 10 days.

Tata's petition filed on Monday had sought an interim relief seeking to ensure that steps should be taken against online portals and electronic media to prevent publication of materials which has been "illegally" and "unlawfully" obtained by them.

The Bench issued notices to Union Home Secretary G K Pillai, CBI, Income Tax Department and Finance Ministry asking them to file an affidavit on the issue and posted the matter for further hearing on December 13.

The court also directed that two magazines - Open and Outlook, which had published the conversations, be made parties to the petition by Tata and issued notices to them.

Appearing for various government departments, Attorney General G E Vahanvati accepted notices on their behalf. He raised some reservations on the interim prayer sought by Tata Group chairman.

When Vahanvati referred to Tata's interim prayer, Salve said "I have not even argued on the interim prayer. "We do not want any injunction against the media", he said.

However, the Bench said it would like to hear the two magazines.

"We will hear them (two magazines). We will also hear the Attorney General who is appearing in the matter. We are not in a hurry," a bench of justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said.

"Since we are examining the issue, we want to hear them (magazines) also," the Bench said.

It said issues in Ratan Tata's plea "would not be left to an academic exercise."

Tata in his petition raised issues relating to right to privacy and right to freedom of speech and expression as envisaged under the Constitution.

Radia phone intercepts deposited in SC

The petition filed by Tata has not made the two magazines as the parties.

At the outset, Salve said the petition raises a matter of immense importance-- the interpretation of Article 21 of the Constitution concerning right to life, which also includes the right to privacy.

He said Tata has not challenged the rights of recording by the statutory authority nor has he challenged the use of transcript by the probe agencies.