SC issues notice to Tehelka editor Tarun J Tejpal

New Delhi, Nov 26: The Supreme Court today issued notice to Tehelka.com editor Tarun J Tejpal on a petition filed by Samata Party leader Jaya Jaitley. Counsel for the petitioner told a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and J M Panchal that the Delhi High Court committed a mistake by dismissing the petition seeking direction to the trial court to prosecute Tarun Tejpal for writing defamatory articles against Jaya Jaitley.

Some political leaders were also caught on camera taking bribes during a sting operation carried out by Tehelka in March 2001 and the leaders included the then BJP President Bangaru Laxman.

The government appointed a comission of inquiry in May 2001 to look into the scandal. During the pendancy of the inquiry, Telhelka.com published an article in March 2002 containing derogratory references to various political leaders including Jaya Jaitley.

She filed a criminal compliant against Tehelka and its editor in Patiala House Court seeking prosecution of the accused for defaming her in public. The complaint was dismissed and she went for an appeal in High Court which was also dismissed. Now she has come to the Supreme Court against the order of the High Court.

UNI