Tehelka panel submits report

As the Phukan Committee of probe submitted its report into the Tehelka case to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, reportedly clearing Defence Minister George Fernandes of corruption charges, Fernandes said the Tehelka sting operation was "motivated rubbish".

Fernandes was cautious in not commenting on the report itself, but said the sting operation was part of a malicious campaign by forces inimical to him and that these forces would be exposed soon.

Fernandes was replying to reporters' questions on the sidelines of the defence exhibition. "Did I have anything to clarify? Ever since the Tehelka rubbish came out those who wanted to malign me used this as well as the coffins issue to tarnish my image," said the defence minister who had quit immediately after the Tehelka tapes were made public in March, 2001.

"These people do not want to face the truth," he said. "Teen badmaash journalists badmaashi karne nikle the aur kuchch politicians, jo mere khilaf hain, unko support kar rahe the. Mujhe unpe daya aati hai" (three rogue journalists were out to commit mischief and some politicians, who have all along been against me, supported them. I feel sorry or them), he said.

The politicians had supported "lies" and an investigation should be carried out to find out who were the people who had backed the sting operation, he said. The defence minister who has just returned from a six-day visit to South Africa.

The matter is sure to be raised in Parliament in a big way tomorrow and the Congress is going to make an issue of it, party leaders told Business Standard.

The Congress has boycotted Fernandes for virtually the whole session since the Tehelka issue hit the headlines and has refused to put questions to him asserting that they did not recognise him as the defence minister.