The Hindu : National : Jaya Jaitly objects to Kapil Sibal's remarks

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 14, 2004

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National

Jaya Jaitly objects to Kapil Sibal's remarks

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 13. The former president of the Samata Party, Jaya Jaitly, has objected to the reported remarks made by the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Kapil Sibal, to the effect that the Tehelka tapes were authentic.

In a letter to Mr. Sibal — the copies of the letter were made available to the press here today — she has pointed out that the report of the expert who examined the tapes was lying ``in a sealed cover with the Honourable Justice Phukan Commission'' and would be opened in the presence of the expert possibly later this month. How would such sensitive information be made available to Mr. Sibal, she has asked.

In the two-page letter dated June 10, she has said that Mr. Sibal may be privy to some information, which he should not be. That undermines the entire process of forensic examination. She has demanded that he make public the source of his information.

She recalled that in 2002 Mr. Sibal had questioned the integrity of Justice Venkataswamy, who was earlier heading the Tehelka inquiry, and this had led to his resignation. She charged Mr. Sibal with ``working in tandem with the interests of the Tehelka journalists.''

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