Another chargesheet filed in Tehelka case by CBI

New Delhi, Nov 30 (UNI) The CBI today filed the fifth chargesheet in the 'Tehelka' sting operation case involving defence deals.

The chargesheet in the Court of Special Judge was against a retired Lt Colonel of the Army, working as a middleman for getting bribe worth nearly a lakh involving a Brigadier and himself, for facilitating procurement of order for supply of Hand Held Thermal Imagers (HHTI) to the Indian Army.

The Colonel later took premature retirement in 1991.

The case was registered against the retired Lt. Col. on February 2, last year.

In 2000-01, News&Views Portal 'Tehelka.Com' conducted sting operations for exposing corruption in defence procurements through assumed identities of representatives of a fictitious firm 'M/s West End International', London, which was purportedly engaged in supply of defence related equipments.

CBI investigations later revealed that between September 2000 and January 2001 a representative of Tehelka.Com held a number of meetings with the accused retired Army officer who introduced him to several high ranking military officers and offered illegal gratification for the 'job'.

As a consideration for his 'assistance', the officer accepted a bribe of Rs 45,000 while the rest (Rs 50,000) was for the Brigadier.

The first chargesheet in the 'Tehelka' case was filed in July this year against former president of a political party.

Thereafter, two more chargesheets were filed in August (against a Staff Officer of Ordnance Factory Cell of Ministry of Defence) and in September (against the former treasurer of a political party).

The 4th chargesheet was filed against an Assistant Financial Advisor of the Finance Division, Ministry of Defence on November 14.

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