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Basharat Peer in New Delhi
Tehelka.com chief Tarun Tejpal in a press conference on Wednesday clarified his organisation had not suppressed the 'sex tapes', and had in fact handed over that evidence to the army five months ago and to the Venkatswami Commission three months ago.
"We judged it important for the judicial processes, since the tapes actually amplified the extent to which corruption has seeped into the system," said Tejpal.
"We did not exploit the tapes as it was sensitive to the army and its image. It was an honourable and ethical decision not to put the tapes into public domain. In fact the army had informally requested us not to release the tapes," Tejpal said.
He explained that if these tapes had come out in public, attention would have focussed on the sex and sleaze part of arms dealing.
He said the purpose of his team's investigation was to expose the corruption in the defence deals.
Tejpal had to face a flurry of questions on the issue of using prostitutes.
"Extraordinary circumstances demands extraordinary methods," Tejpal said.
He added that the reporters working on that story were not comfortable with doing it, but they had to keep the larger interest of exposing corruption in their mind.
They had to play the part of the arms dealers well to ensure that they were not found out.
Tejpal, however, empphasised that they did not lure the army officers with women, rather it was the army officers who demanded women.
He explained that if the reporters had not complied with the request of the armymen, the operation would have derailed.
On whether he thought it was a deliberate leak from certain quarters, Tejpal said it did not matter who did it.
He in fact blamed those who have been indicted in the defence deals scam of trying to obfuscate the whole issue.
To a question that supplying women was an offence, Tejpal replied that he had heard from the most celebrated lawyers that it was the motive that was important.
He clarified that no other politician or officer had asked for sexual favours during the course of Tehelka's investigation and no similar footage existed.
As to the effect of such tapes on the morale of the army, Tejpal said, "Even the army wants a clean army."
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