The Hindu : U.K. expert doubts tapes' authenticity

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 20, 2003

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U.K. expert doubts tapes' authenticity

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI SEPT. 19. A British forensic expert has expressed doubts over the authenticity of certain portions of the Tehelka tapes that were referred to him to find out whether they were tampered or interpolated.

In the light of this report, the Justice Phukan Commission probing the Tehelka defence deals today asked the Tehelka portal to produce within a week the original equipment used in the sting operation.

The Commission had referred the tapes to an independent expert in the United Kingdom after the former Samata Party president, Jaya Jaitly, and the former BJP president, Bangaru Laxman, demonstrated through film experts that the tapes could have been tampered with.

In his communication to the Commission, the expert said: "we find that there are some areas of doubt that remain without having access to the original recording equipment". He felt the original equipment was necessary as "this would enable me to make relevant test recordings on the original equipment and obtain measurements and undertake comparisons of the video signal outside of the normal recorded picture area".

Justice S.N. Phukan, who disclosed the contents of the communication, directed the news portal to produce the equipment used in recording the events along with an affidavit.

On the suggestion of the Solicitor-General, Kirit Raval, it asked the parties concerned to point out by Monday portions of the tapes, which, according to them, were tampered with.

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