Pillai defends PC on FIR controversy

Conflict of interest

PTI | December 16, 2011



As P Chidambaram came in the line of fire over the withdrawal of three FIRs against a hotelier, former Union Home Secretary G K Pillai today defended him saying the Home Minister had clearly instructed his officials not to take any decision and asked only to convey the Law Ministry's advice.

"I clearly remember that the Home Minister had written in the file that the Home Ministry should convey the advice of Ministry of Law and the Home Ministry should not give any direction on the issue," Pillai told PTI.

His remarks came against the backdrop of controversy over the alleged conflict of interest involving Chidambaram in withdrawal of three cases against S P Gupta, Chairman, Sunair Hotels Limited, New Delhi, said to be a former client of Chidambaram.

Pillai said the draft of a letter sent by the Home Ministry to the Delhi government for withdrawal of FIRs had not been shown to the Home Minister or Home Secretary or the Joint Secretary concerned and it did not reflect the proper deliberations in the Home Ministry.

He said the Home Minister had clearly instructed the officials not to give any direction to Delhi government regarding the withdrawal of the case.

The application from Gupta requesting withdrawal of the FIRs against him was received when Pillai was Home Secretary.

The Delhi government yesterday had revoked its earlier decision not to press for prosecution of cases against the hotelier. The decision was taken by Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna.

Comments

 

Other News

India faces critical shortage of skin donors amid rising burn cases

India reports nearly 70 lakh burn injury cases every year, resulting in approximately 1.4 lakh deaths annually. Experts estimate that up to 50% of these lives could be saved with adequate access to skin donations.   A significant concern is that around 70% of burn victims fall wi

Not just politics, let`s discuss policies too

Why public policy matters Most days, India`s loudest debates stop at the ballot box. We can name every major leader and recall every campaign slogan. Still, far fewer of us can explain why a widow`s pension is delayed or how a government school`s budget is actually approved. That

When algorithms decide and children die

The images have not left me, of dead and wounded children being carried in the arms of the medics and relatives to the ambulances and hospitals. On February 28, at the start of Operation Epic Fury, cruise missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh school – officially named a girls’ school, in Minab,

The economics of representation: Why women in power matter

India’s democracy has grown in scale, but not quite in balance. Women today are active participants in elections, influencing outcomes in ways that were not as visible earlier. Yet their presence in legislative institutions continues to lag behind. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was meant to addres

India will be powerful, not aggressive: Bhaiyyaji

India is poised to emerge as a global power but will remain rooted in its civilisational ethos of non-aggression and harmony, former RSS General Secretary Suresh `Bhaiyyaji` Joshi has said.   He was speaking at the launch of “Rashtrabhav,” a book by Ravindra Sathe

AI: Code, Control, Conquer

India today stands at a critical juncture in the area of artificial intelligence. While the country is among the fastest adopters of AI in the world, it remains heavily reliant on technologies developed elsewhere. This paradox, experts warn, cannot persist if India seeks technological sovereignty.


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter