May invoke OSA on oil papers leak: Delhi Police to court

Seeking three-day police custody for the five corporate executives — Shailesh Saxena, Manager Corporate Affairs, RIL; Subhash Chandra, Senior Executive, Jubilant Energy; Rishi Anand, Deputy General Manager, Reliance ADAG; Vinay Kumar, Deputy General Manager, Essar; and, K K Naik, General Manager, Cairn India — the Delhi Police told the court that senior officials of their companies may have gone through the documents recovered, and they were likely to be questioned.

The five executive arrested on Friday on charges of criminal conspiracy and holding stolen property have reportedly told the police that they were following the directions of their seniors.

“The probe is in a preliminary stage. The documents recovered were also analysed by the seniors and they are likely to be questioned. The implication of this is also to be analysed. The documents are of national interest…This could likely also attract charges under the Official Secrets Act,” said the investigation officer in court, replying to the defence counsel’s argument that “no incriminating evidence” has been found that requires police custody of the accused.

“We have written to the ministry to analyse the documents and tell us if they fall under the ambit of OSA. Their reply is awaited. Once we receive the reply, we will add the sections accordingly,” the Delhi Police later said.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Khanagwal sent the five corporate executives to three-day police custody.

According to sources, during questioning, it was found that the documents accessed by former journalist Santanu Saikia, who heads the Indian Petro Group, and Pryas Jain, CEO of oil and gas consultancy Metis India, were reportedly bought by many influential individuals, apart from the five corporates whose employees have been arrested. Sources said Saikia is reported to have links with major PSUs.

Saikia reportedly told the police that the documents were made available to the corporates on a need-to-know basis. He is reported to have said that such knowledge helped the companies to strategise their policies and sometimes win bids.

Sources said that since papers relating to the RIL-government arbitration are among the documents recovered, police have accessed the call detail records of the five executives to probe the period between February 2014 and February 2015, in the context of the KG Basin dispute.

Meanwhile, the police on Saturday conducted raids at the office of Jubilant Energy in Noida and Jain’s office in East Patel Nagar. Police sources said Subhash Chandra, a senior executive with Jubilant Energy, was taken to Jain’s office in the morning. According to sources, Chandra was earlier working for the petroleum ministry but later joined Jubilant Energy.

In a related development, seven rooms on the second floor of the petroleum ministry’s office in Shastri Bhawan were sealed temporarily for investigation. This are room 208, A wing; room 208 (B), A wing; room 204 (B), A wing; room 211, A wing; room 203, B wing; room 204, B wing; room 201, B wing.

In court, senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, appearing for RIL’s Shailesh Saxena, argued that his client was not part of the alleged “conspiracy” and there was no “justifiable ground” to seek police remand. “There should be tangible material on record to substantiate the grounds for police remand. There is no justifiable ground. It is alleged some persons entered the ministry and leaked the documents using fake cards. But my client is not part of this conspiracy. And just having photocopy of documents does not deem to be a case of theft,” he argued.

Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Essar’s Vinay Kumar, said, “Grant of police remand should be an exception, not a rule. On February 18, the police searched the office of my client and he was called to the Crime Branch office the next day. Since then, he was being illegally detained by the police.”

‘Rs 10,000 cr scam’

Key accused Santanu Saikia claimed Saturday that it was a Rs 10,000 crore scam. “It is a Rs10,000 crore scam. I was trying to do a cover up… Please quote me,” he told ANI while being taken for questioning. Police sources said Saikia claimed he accessed the documents for a cover report he was working on. Saikia reportedly told police he processes these documents and uploads the analysis on his company’s website, and anyone who subscribes to his website can access it.

Rajnath talks tough

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Saturday that those involved in the leak would not be spared. “Jaldi doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani ho jayega. No guilty person will be spared and the strictest punishment will be given,” he said. Responding to questions on a nexus of middlemen and government officials, he said, “It is possible. I’m not ruling out any possibility.”