28 Nov 2002

IS GOVT WINDING UP TEHELKA INQUIRY?

From Jal Khambata

NEW DELHI: The Vajpayee Governments appears all set to wind up the Tehelka Inquiry Commission instead of looking for another judge in place of Justice Venkataswami as services of all 12 employees of the Commission have been terminated.

In a circular issued by the Department of Personnel, it has been pointed out that in view of Justice Venkataswami's resignation 12 employees with the Inquiry Commission either on deputation or on ad hoc basis "stand terminated from their present services.''

On record, the Government is, however, stressing that it wants the Commission to complete its work and that it is looking for another retired or sitting judge to head the Commission.

However, Chief Justice of India Pattanaik is reported to have already conveyed that he would not recommend the name of any judge for the purpose in view of the political controversy raked up over his predecessor Justice S P Bharucha recommending Venkataswami's name for heading a tax authority.

The Government's difficulty in picking up some retired judge for the Inquiry Commission would only attract the charge that it had deliberately chosen one who can deliver a favourable judgment.

Those who were closely following the proceedings of the Commission, however, point out that the new judge would not have much work with regard to the political personalities since Justice Venkataswami has already concluded and left behind his findings. All that his successor will have to do is to complete the second part of inquiry related to 14 defence deals, the real ones for procurement of defence items and not the fictitious deals made by the tehelka.com portal to implicate political personalities.

The Opposition also does not want the Inquiry Commission to proceed further as it kept pressing for the matter to be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. The Government is, however, not ready for any JPC as it may be used by the opposition parties for witch-hunting.

Asked why the Government is hesitant to have a JPC when it had itself volunteered with another JPC to probe the second stock exchange scam, sources in the Government said the Tehelka inquiry is different as it involves inquiry into a number of defence purchases which cannot be allowed to be made public as it would compromise the national security.

The premature winding-up of the Inquiry Commission would, however, be a setback for Dr K K Paul, a senior IPS officer, who was selected by Justice Venkataswami only recently to be the security advisor to the Inquiry Commission to help out in the inquiry into the defence deals. Dr Paul was picked up for the job in view of his background as having held a senior position in the Intelligence Bureau and had been also heading the intelligence setup of the capital.

Even while continuing as the Special Police Commissioner of Delhi, Dr Paul had started attending the Commission's meetings to assist Justice Venkataswami. His colleagues say all his work in the Commission has gone down the drain as he may not be there even if the Government finds a judge to continue the Inquiry Commission since it would be up to the latter to pick up the advisor. END