rediff.com
rediff.com
News
      HOME | NEWS | REPORT
March 13, 2001

NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
THE STATES
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES
SEARCH REDIFF





 Search the Internet
         Tips
E-Mail this report to a friend
Print this page

'We have been tense for two months'

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

tehelka.com editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal was pleased with reactions he got from some VVIP invitees who had come to watch the screening of Operation Westend.

"We have been working on this project for more than eight months. We have been hearing that money changes hands in defence deals. So we decided to take a chance and try our luck. We worked out a plan and accordingly we started working on it. Luckily, things started falling in line. Since the project was related to the defence of the country, we kept it under wraps," Tejpal told rediff.com.

On whether the government would react, he shot back, " Well, if this does not shake the government, nothing else will. We have been hearing for years that money changed hands in the Bofors gun deal and here we have evidence on camera which goes to prove that it is indeed true."

According to Tejpal, they had kept a diligent account of the money they gave to various people during the investigations.

"We gave Rs 10,8000 to various defence officers, politicians and bureaucrats as well as private secretaries of politicians and some defence dealers. Every penny that was spent has been accounted for. Bharatiya Janata Party chief Bangaru Laxman [who has since resigned] took Rs one lakh, Jaya Jaitley took Rs 2 lakh... all on camera, for help in clinching the deal," Tejpal claimed.

"Investigations were done mainly by Aniruddha Bahal and Mathew Samuel. Others from the office helped them in whatever manner they could. We have been very tense for two months," he said.

On whether he had done another Manoj Prabhakar, he said, "No that was different. If the Prabhakar probe was six out of 10, this was 10 out of 10," he said.

RELATED REPORTS
Tehelka lifts lid off defence deals
Bangaru says he took money for the party
'For the country, there is now reason to worry'
'It's in the tapes. How can they deny it?'
Oppn demands time-bound statement on bribes
Who is Raj Kumar Gupta?
Joginder Singh too calls for probe
Bangaru Laxman resigns

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report

NEWS | MONEY | SPORTS | MOVIES | CHAT | CRICKET | SEARCH | RAIL/AIR | NEWSLINKS
ASTROLOGY | BROADBAND | CONTESTS | E-CARDS | ROMANCE | WOMEN | WEDDING
SHOPPING | BOOKS | MUSIC | PERSONAL HOMEPAGES | FREE EMAIL| MESSENGER | FEEDBACK