Saradha: SC notice to Airtel, Vodafone

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 29

The Supreme Court today issued notice on CBI’s plea accusing telecom service providers Vodafone and Airtel of not sharing call detail records (CDRs) of certain mobile numbers, including those of Saradha Group directors Sudipta Sen and Debjani Mukherjee.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asked the two companies to respond by April 8.

On behalf of Vodafone, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi countered the allegations, saying: “Everything has already been handed over.”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta alleged there was absolute “anarchy and lawlessness” in West Bengal.

He recalled the recent incident of the state police harassing custom officials at the Kolkata airport for attempting to check the luggage of the wife of TMC MP Abhishek Bannerjee who happens to be Chief Minister Mamta Bannerjee’s nephew.

Senior counsel AM Singhvi, representing state government, took exception to Mehta’s statement and accused him of feeding the media under the garb of making submissions.

Accusing Airtel and Vodafone of not providing call detail records (CDRs) of certain mobile numbers in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, the CBI had on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court, seeking directions to the two telecom majors to share the same with the probe agency as soon as possible.