Venkataswami Commission notice to Fernandes

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI, JUNE 6. The Justice K. Venkataswami Commission, probing the Tehelka tapes expose, today issued notices to the former Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, the National Security Advisor, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, and the Defence Secretary, Mr. Yogendra Narayan, asking them to explain in their personal capacity about the alleged defence deal.

At the commission's first public hearing, the Attorney-General, Mr. Soli Sorabjee, said, ``the importance of this commission cannot be over-emphasised. It has been constituted by the Government of India not as an act of political expediency. It reflects the resolve of the Government to address and to redress the various issues which have surfaced consequent upon the screening of the Tehelka tapes on the news channel.''

The Government would extend its utmost cooperation to the commission in its working and deliberations especially with regard to the timely and expeditious completion of the inquiry. The Government, he said, had adhered to the time schedule for the filing of affidavits, and replies and would endeavour to do so hereafter.

The Government approach was that there should be no reluctance or hesitation about furnishing the commission with any relevant information and documents it desired to have, except in those cases where the imperatives of national security and interest necessitated a claim for privilege made in accordance with law.

Stating that the commission's working and findings would not be an exercise in futility, Mr. Sorabjee said the Government was keen that true facts were ascertained and established so that persons, who, on the basis of credible and cogent evidence, were found to have indulged in wrong doings were appropriately dealt with.

It was equally important that the cloud of suspicion based on surmises and speculation about persons who were not implicated in any way was dispelled and their honour and reputation vindicated, he added.

The commission's counsel, Mr. Gopal Subramaniam, said certain affidavits filed by the Government were not sufficient and that it should give detailed affidavits relating to the information sought, so that the probe could be expedited. The commission, which sought the tapes given by tehelka.com to the Army for inquiry, indicated that the day-to-day hearing would begin from July 2.

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