On 22nd January, Tarun Tejpal and Aniruddha Bahal tendered an unconditional apology to Major General MS Ahluwalia (Retd) for a 2001 story published in Tehelka accusing the General of corruption in the defense procurement process. After 22 years, the Delhi High Court court ordered Tejpal and Bahal to apologise to Major General Ahluwalia (Retd) by publishing a notice in an English Newspaper. Furthermore, the court ordered the duo to pay compensation amounting to Rs 10 Lakh each. The order was passed in a defamation case filed by Major General Ahluwalia against the duo.
In the public notice tugged on Page 11 of Hindustan Times’ Delhi edition under the Classified section, the apology read, “We, Tarun Tejpal and Aniruddha Bahal, tender an unconditional apology to Major General M. S. Ahluwalia (Retd.) for a media story dated 13th March 2001, by M/s Tehelka.com. In this undercover journalistic investigation on corruption in the defence procurement process, Operation Westend, in which dozens of people, including officials and politicians, were prosecuted and subsequently indicted by the courts, it was stated that Major-General M. S. Ahluwalia (Retd) had accepted a bribe of Rs 50,000 from reporter Mr Mathew Samuel in the presence of the Late Lt-Colonel Syal. Further, the videotape and transcript indicated that Major-General Ahluwalia had demanded Blue Label whisky and ten lakhs of rupees. We clarify that in the meeting in November 2000 at Major-General Ahluwalia’s house, neither did Major-General Ahluwalia ask nor accept a bribe or blue label whisky, and we unconditionally apologise for the error in the transcript /tape.”
Tejpal and Bahal admitted to falsely framing Retired Major General
On 12th January, Tejpal and Bahal admitted before the Delhi High Court that retired Indian Army official Major General MS Ahluwalia neither asked for nor accepted any bribe. They admitted to falsely framing Ahluwalia and 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 filed a defamation case against Tehelka and its journalists Tarun Tejpal, Aniruddha Bahal and Mathew Samuel in 2002 after the magazine falsely accused him of taking bribes in defense deals in its sting operation ‘Operation West End’.
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.
In March 2001, Tarun Tejpal’s newly found media organisation Tehelka decided to “uncover” corruption in political and defense establishments. They floated a fake company called ‘West End International’ and set out to sell hand-held thermal cameras/ imagers to the Government of India. The undercover investigation spanned several months.
In the sting, Ahluwalia was offered 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 whiskey. MS Ahluwalia had denied the allegations made by Tehelka. He 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 the army chief awarded him Severe Displeasure (Recordable)’.