New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored probe by an SIT or the CBI into the political-bureaucratic-corporate nexus wherein corporates extend all kind of favours to politicians and bureaucrats to push their business interests.
The PIL follows the latest exposure revealing the Essar Group allegedly influencing and cultivating young law-makers, the bureaucracy, police and the media for advancing its business interests.
The CPIL in its PIL said that it seeks a court-monitored investigation by an Special Ivestigation Team or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the “high level of political-bureaucratic-corporate nexus wherein corporates use their money power to change public policies, plant questions in parliament, get access to internal government documents/cabinet papers, grant favours to politicians and bureaucrats for receiving benefits in return, and plant stories in news media”.
Referring to the recent exposures, the PIL said that the entire “matter is crying out for a thorough court-monitored investigation by an SIT or CBI since the same is necessary to uphold democracy, the rule of law and rights of the citizens under articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution”.
“The prevailing corruption in the country in high places seriously impairs the right of the people of this country to live in a corruption-free society governed by rule of law. The right to life guaranteed to the people of this country also includes in its fold the right to live in a society, which is free from crime and corruption,” it contended.
It also argued the conduct of the journalists and media organisations in taking favours from corporates and in carrying out planted stories was in violation of journalistic norms and ethics.
It demanded the government “withdraw the privileges like subsidized land, newsprint, houses etc. that have been extended to media organisations and journalists who are indulging in paid news, or publishing news reports to favour corporates, or who are taking favours from corporates”.