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THE NATION: TEHELKA
EXPOSE
Embarrassment Again
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MURKY'S LAW: Jain has once again
proved an embarrassment for the Samata Party |
Tehelka CEO Tarun
Tejpal defends his reporters' actions on the ground that they were necessary
to prise out the truth. "We had to get to the bottom of the story
and in the process engaged hookers for corrupt officials. But look at
what the Samata Party officials do?" Indeed, Jain's utterances are
unlikely to help the Samata. The party had sought to distance itself from
Jain immediately after his irresponsible statements and loquacious ways
had been screened by TV channels in March. This time, just when the party
had found a lever to extricate itself from the morass, Jain once again
proved to be an embarrassment.
To be sure, Tehelka's use of prostitutes to
nail corrupt defence officials does not in any way lessen the seriousness
of the crimes those men stand accused of. If anything it only makes the
scandal murkier and gives rise to the disturbing thought that arranging
a sex romp in a five-star hotel is perhaps all it takes to compromise
those in charge of defence purchases.
Also, it would be too much to expect any reversal
of the political changes wrought by the Tehelka expose. The theory that
the salacious details in the tapes, which were kept secret by both the
army as well as the Venkataswami Commission probing the charges, were
leaked out at the behest of those anxious to facilitate Fernandes' instant
return to the Government seems too far-fetched.
What it has done, however, is give some credence
to the misgivings over the portal. "If this is the way stories will
be obtained, I'm sorry to say we'll begin to doubt the integrity of journalists,"
railed Jaya Jaitly, former Samata general secretary who had been accused
of collecting donations from arms dealers by Tehelka's spycam inside Fernandes'
house. Jaitly's contention that the tapes were craftily doctored by Tehelka
may now find more takers.
Meanwhile, the Venkataswami Commission has completed
the process of receiving depositions, which include 105 unedited tapes
from Tehelka with nearly 100 hours of footage, some of it inaudible and
unclear due to the inherent limitations of spycams. However, the general
feeling is that the probe-which was given its first extension in July-is
moving at a snail's pace. One reason for this is that the commission has
busied itself in probing other questionable contracts, among them the
procurement of Krasnopol ammunition, the shoulder-fired Carl Gustaf anti-tank
missiles, SGT rifles, air jet trainers and Sukhoi aircraft. The commission's
counsel, Gopal Subramanium, however, says the other deals were being looked
into keeping in view the larger objective of the probe. "We will
ensure that we deal with the matter expeditiously," he assures.
For Fernandes, a prolonged probe means a long
wait before he can expect a verdict from the commission which could facilitate
his re-entry into the Government. Jaitly wants the probe to not only look
into the seamier side of things, but also into the "carefully careless"
manner in which errors have been allowed to creep into the editing of
the footage. On its part, the Government wants the probe hastened. Says
Kirit Raval, additional solicitor-general: "The investigations need
to get back on track. The real issue needs to be probed. As for Tehelka,
we will furnish enough proof to show that it was performing with a motive."
Raval is presumably referring to the affidavits
filed before the commission by a Mumbai resident that refer to the Securities
and Exchange Board of India's findings on Tehelka's promoter Shankar Sharma
and the somewhat murky contacts of a reporter who was part of the sting
operation. The suggestion is there was a commercial angle to Tehelka's
crusade and that someone made money from the political furore. Tejpal's
defence is that these affidavits are nothing but attempts to divert attention
from shady and corrupt defence deals.
Whatever the truth, it is clear that the Tehelka
storm is not going to subside in a hurry.
—With Shishir Gupta and Sharad Gupta
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METRO TODAY
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