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Jaitly alleges 'editing out' of Hinduja portion from tapes

In a new twist, former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitly on Monday alleged that tehelka.com had 'edited out' portions pertaining to NRI-businessmen Hindujas from its tapes, while portal Managing Editor Tarun Tejpal, only cross-examination noticee to be questioned continuously for the third day, expressed ignorance about it.

Admitting that he did go to the Hindujas office complex in London, Tejpal, however, denied going into the office to meet the businessmen or any of their officials.

Pointing out that tehelka's former London staffer Charulata Joshi was to go to meet Hinduja officials and had asked him to come along, Tejpal said he did go to the building but did not go to their office as 'at that time I felt it inappropriate to meet Hindujas because of their dealing in arms'.

Tejpal, who was being questioned by Jaitly's counsel Niloy Dutta, was also asked if he tried to verify the various claims made by the people appearing in the tapes, including that of army officers.

To this he said one cannot take the statements in isolation and the claims also reflected the level of corruption among other things.

Charging the portal with 'deliberately' shifting the position of the cameras to mislead people, L M Mehta, former defence official, said the camera did not record his protest and returning of the gift, a gold chain.

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