NEW DELHI, 14 May 2005 — The Congress-backed federal government threw out a 41-page report of an inquiry by Judge S.N. Phukan into the alleged arms scandal that had been ordered by the previous Hindu nationalist-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, saying it was “not complete”.
New Delhi ordered a new probe yesterday into the so-called “Tehelka scam” in which top politicians and army brass were secretly filmed apparently taking bribes from reporters posing as arms dealers.
The report of Justice Phukan Commission was yesterday tabled in Lok Sabha by Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee. However, the government rejected it saying the report had deviated from the main issue. While dismissing the report yesterday, the last day of budget session of Parliament, the government said that the commission had diverged from its original subject of investigation so it cannot rely on the report and will wait for a thorough CBI investigation before taking any action.
The Phukan Commission, which probed defense purchases during the Kargil war, has found irregularities in 13 of the 15 purchases during the time. According to media reports, the commission had given clean chit to former Defense Minister George Fernandes.
Justice Phukan also came under attack last week for using Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters for his trip to various places in Maharashtra. The retired Supreme Court judge maintained that he had not sought the aircraft, which was requisitioned by the commission.
Meanwhile, Fernandes justified his decision to give the IAF aircraft to Justice Phukan for his trip to Maharashtra saying if he had not provided it then he could have been accused of not cooperating with the probe.
