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tehelka.com editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal was pleased with reactions he got from some VVIP invitees who had come to watch the screening of Operation Westend.
"We have been working on this project for more than eight months. We have been hearing that money changes hands in defence deals. So we decided to take a chance and try our luck. We worked out a plan and accordingly we started working on it. Luckily, things started falling in line. Since the project was related to the defence of the country, we kept it under wraps," Tejpal told rediff.com.
On whether the government would react, he shot back, " Well, if this does not shake the government, nothing else will. We have been hearing for years that money changed hands in the Bofors gun deal and here we have evidence on camera which goes to prove that it is indeed true."
According to Tejpal, they had kept a diligent account of the money they gave to various people during the investigations.
"We gave Rs 10,8000 to various defence officers, politicians and bureaucrats as well as private secretaries of politicians and some defence dealers. Every penny that was spent has been accounted for. Bharatiya Janata Party chief Bangaru Laxman [who has since resigned] took Rs one lakh, Jaya Jaitley took Rs 2 lakh... all on camera, for help in clinching the deal," Tejpal claimed.
"Investigations were done mainly by Aniruddha Bahal and Mathew Samuel. Others from the office helped them in whatever manner they could. We have been very tense for two months," he said.
On whether he had done another Manoj Prabhakar, he said, "No that was different. If the Prabhakar probe was six out of 10, this was 10 out of 10," he said.
RELATED REPORTS Tehelka lifts lid off defence deals Bangaru says he took money for the party 'For the country, there is now reason to worry' 'It's in the tapes. How can they deny it?' Oppn demands time-bound statement on bribes Who is Raj Kumar Gupta? Joginder Singh too calls for probe Bangaru Laxman resigns
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