On Friday, January 12, Tehelka magazine’s former editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal and co-founder Aniruddha Bahal admitted before a Delhi High Court bench that retired Indian Army official Major General MS Ahluwalia neither asked for nor accepted any bribe.
Admitting to falsely framing Ahluwalia, Tejpal and Bahal said they were ready to publish an unconditional apology in leading newspapers like the Hindustan Times for defaming a decorated Army officer in the year 2001. The duo also agreed to deposit Rs 10 lakh each with the Delhi High Court.
Notably, Ahluwalia had filed a defamation case against Tehelka and its journalists Tarun Tejpal, Aniruddha Bahal and Mathew Samuel in 2002 after the magazine accused him of taking bribes in defence deals in its sting operation named Operation West End.
A division bench comprising Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora and Acting Chief Justice Manmohan was deliberating over an appeal filed by Tejpal and Bahal against a single judge’s ruling from the previous year ordering Tehelka and journalist Mathew Samuel to pay Rs 2 crores to Ahluwalia for defaming him.
Major General (retd) M S Ahluwalia had named Tehelka and its journalists Tarun Tejpal, Aniruddha Bahal and Mathew Samuel, saying they published false allegations against him. Zee TV, its chairman Subhash Chandra and CEO Sandeep Goyal were also named in the defamation case, as the sting operation was broadcast on Zee TV.
How Tehelka magazine framed an Army Major General in false corruption case
In March 2001, Tarun Tejpal’s newly found media organization Tehelka decided to “uncover” corruption in political and defence establishments. They floated a fake company by the name of ‘West End International’ and set out to sell hand-held thermal cameras/ imagers to the Government of India. The undercover investigation spanned several months.
Along with some prominent politicians, bureaucrats, and army personnel Tehelka did a sting on Major General (retd) M S Ahluwalia.
In the sting, Ahluwalia was seen offering a bribe of ₹50,000, but he refused to accept it. However, it was alleged that he had said he would need money to introduce West End officials to top army brass.
Tehelka had also claimed that the army officer had demanded a bottle of Blue Label. MS Ahluwalia had denied the allegations made by Tehelka and said that when Tehelka did the sting, he was not involved in any post related to the selection or purchase of imported weapons.
As a result of the false allegations against him, Major General MS Ahluwalia was court-martialled by the Indian Army with the recommendation to dismiss him from the service. Later, the punishment was downgraded and he was awarded Severe Displeasure (Recordable)’ by the army chief.
It is notable that initially, Tehelka had claimed he had demanded ₹1 lakh, but later changed it to ₹50,000. In the army’s court of inquiry, Tehelka journalist Mathew Samuel admitted that Ahluwalia never demanded any money or expensive whiskey.