I have not seen Niira Radia tapes: Home Secretary

NEW DELHI: Home Secretary G K Pillai today said neither has he heard or seen the tapes of conversations between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and others nor has he leaked them at the behest of Home Minister P Chidambaram.

"I wish to clarify that neither I nor the Ministry of Home Affairs had access or have any access to any of the tapes concerning the interception of the telephones of Niira Radia," he said in a statement.

Reacting to reports in the press, he said his interview to The Wall Street Journal, on which the Supreme Court earlier this week made some observations, has been misunderstood and quoted out of context.

"I had only stated that the interception of the telephone calls have been authorised by the Home Ministry on account of allegations concerning tax evasion or hawala, and that no tapes concerning tax evasion or hawala had appeared in the press," he said.

Pillai said these were the subject matter of probe by the Central Board of Direct Taxes and if these are substantiated, would be only disclosed later when the charge-sheets are filed by the concerned agencies.

"Since I have neither heard nor seen the tapes, the allegations that I am leaking these tapes, at the behest of the Union Home Minister, is totally unfounded and false," he said.

The Home Secretary also said he understood from the affidavits given by the Ministry of Finance (CBDT) that some portion of the tapes had been given to the CBI for investigation.