The Hindu : Venkataswami quits Tehelka probe panel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 24, 2002

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Venkataswami quits Tehelka probe panel

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI Nov. 23. Stung by criticism in Parliament over his appointment as chairman of the Authority on Advance Rulings of Excise and Customs, Justice K. Venkataswami, head of the Tehelka Commission, today resigned from both the posts. He is understood to have sent his resignation to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Justice Venkataswami declined comment when asked for the reasons for putting in his papers. His resignation at the crucial stage of hearing in the Tehelka probe has taken legal circles by surprise.

Though he was appointed chairman of the Authority on Excise and Customs in May this year, the issue surfaced in Parliament only on Friday when

members criticised the Government for violating all norms of constitutional propriety in offering a second post to him when the Tehelka enquiry was yet to be completed. According to sources, Justice Venkataswami was unhappy with the handling of the issue by the Government, which, he felt, did not defend his appointment properly though everything had been done in accordance with law and as per the recommendations of the Chief Justice of India.

The Venkataswami Commission was constituted by the Centre on March 24 last year to probe the Tehelka portal's expose on corruption in

defence deals. And to find out whether there was deviation in the purchase procedures and whether the imperatives of national security were taken into consideration in defence transactions. Initially appointed for four months, its term was extended time and again and the present term is due to expire on January 23 next.

The examination of crucial witnesses, including the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, the former BJP president, Bangaru Laxman, the former Samata Party president, Jaya Jaitly, and other Section 8-B witnesses has been completed.

The panel included the financial aspect in the probe after the Centre accused the Tehelka portal of being responsible for the crash in the share market after March last, and pleaded with the Commission to include

the aspect.

With the probe nearing a critical stage of investigation, Justice Venkataswami's resignation has put a question mark on the fate of the Commission, which was intended to arrive at the truth in the portal's "revelations."

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