The Supreme Court on Tuesday has asked the government to respond to the plea for not destroying the tapes containing conversation between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and others relating to the 2G spectrum scam.

A bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly asked the Solicitor General to take instructions from the authorities on the plea made by the NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) which has brought the matter before the court.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for the NGO had made the plea that the tapes prepared by the Director General of Income Tax containing conversation of Radia and others should be preserved.