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{{Short description|2001 exposé of Indian governmental corruption by Tehelka magazine}}
'''Operation West End''' was the first sting operation done by [[Tehelka]] in 2001, an [[Indian people|Indian]] [[news magazine]] known for its [[investigative journalism]]. It was done in order to make the murky defense deals of the then ruling party NDA public.


{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
The special correspondents of the magazine filmed several corrupt defense officials and politicians of ruling [[National Democratic Alliance (India)|National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA) government including [[Bhartiya Janta Party]] then President Late [[Bangaru Laxman]]. The operation took seven and a half months to complete, which later shook the country and adversely damaged the image of India in the International arena. The nightmarish fact is that a fictitious arms company successfully bought 34 individuals in high places including key politicians of ruling government.<ref name="hindu2001">[http://www.thehindu.com/2001/03/20/stories/13200341.htm Operation West End], March 20, 2001, The Hindu.</ref> It is a known fact that corruption is rampant among politicians but the operation in 2001 blew the lid over sorry state of the nation, which was ruled by Bhartiya Janta Party and its allies, resulting in loss of faith by Indian people.<ref name="hindu2001" />


'''Operation West End''' was a [[sting operation]] conducted in 2001 by Indian [[news magazine]] ''[[Tehelka]]'' to expose defence deals conducted by the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP)-led [[National Democratic Alliance|NDA]] government of [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]. Over a seven-and-half-month investigation, special correspondents of the magazine filmed several corrupt defence officials and politicians of NDA government, including the BJP President [[Bangaru Laxman]], accepting bribes and discussing [[kickbacks]]. During Operation West End, individuals filmed in the sting operation made allegations and claims of who the most powerful arms dealers or agents in India were.<ref name=":44">{{Cite book |last=Trehan |first=Madhu |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jtJbBAAAQBAJ&dq |title=Prism Me a Lie Tell Me A Truth: Tehelka as Metaphor |date=2011-04-06 |publisher=Roli Books |isbn=978-81-7436-950-5 |location=New Delhi |language=en |access-date=24 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918154552/https://books.google.com/books?id=jtJbBAAAQBAJ&dq |archive-date=18 September 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Vipin Khanna]], [[Sudhir Choudhrie]] and [[Suresh Nanda]] faced allegations and claims of being the three most powerful arms dealers in India.<ref name=":44" /><ref name=":42">{{Cite web |last1=Bahal |first1=Aniruddha |last2=Samuel |first2=Mathew |title=Operation West End |url=http://tehelka.com/investigation/investigation36.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010331175847/http://tehelka.com/investigation/investigation36.htm |archive-date=31 March 2001 |access-date=24 September 2024 |website=Tehelka |page=36 }}</ref>
⚫
== The operation ==
The magazine created a fictitious London based [[arms manufacturing]] company known as West End International. The strategy adopted by the investigative journalists was to get in touch with a person in the lowest end of the defence chain and then move upwards. Therefore, the operation started<ref name="ol1">[http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Tehelkas-Operation-West-End/211141 Tehelka's Operation West End], March 24, 2001, Outlook.</ref> with the Senior Section Officer P. Sashi who was posted in the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]]. His desire to make money from arms dealers provided the starting point for journalists from Tehelka. After getting some monetary incentive, P. Sashi took the team to Brigadier Anil Sehgal’s house in New Delhi. Sehgal was then the Deputy Director in Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS), an important army procurement post. Both these officials helped the team with two vital things; information about a defence product required by the [[Indian army]] and how to move ahead in order to sell their products.


⚫
== Sting operation ==
⚫
Brigadier Sehgal demanded to be entertained in a five-star hotel to which the team agreed. The former brought in Lt. Colonel Sharma, who was an army officer posted in [[Air Force]] procurement section. After the meeting, Brigadier Sehgal demanded Rs. 200,000 to give documents related to the procurement of hand-held [[Thermographic camera|thermal cameras]] and other equipment that the company might be interested in supplying to the Indian Army. After accepting the money he also advised on how to proceed in the matter of bidding for the hand-held thermal cameras. During the conversation, Brigadier Sehgal said that the company would have to pay to everyone and some percentage would also reach the then Defence Minister [[George Fernandes]]. P. Sashi also provided confidential documents related to the procurement of [[ammunition]], tubes, [[clothing]] and [[helicopters]].
The magazine created a fictitious London-based [[arms manufacturing]] company called 'West End International'. Investigative journalists from the magazine would get in touch with junior officers of the Indian defence establishment and move upwards.


The operation started with Senior Section Officer P. Sashi Menon who was posted in the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]].<ref name="ol1">[http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Tehelkas-Operation-West-End/211141 Tehelka's Operation West End] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402101723/http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Tehelkas-Operation-West-End/211141 |date=2 April 2015 }}, March 24, 2001, Outlook.</ref> After getting some monetary incentive, P. Sashi Menon took the team to Brigadier Anil Sehgal’s house in New Delhi. Sehgal was then the Deputy Director in Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS) in the [[Indian Army]], an important army procurement post. Sashi Menon and Sehgal provided the ''Tehelka'' team with information about the defence products being but the army and instructions on how to proceed in order to sell their products.
⚫
On November 26, 2000, the team was introduced to Deepak Gupta, the son of [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS) [[trustee]] R. K. Gupta. Deepak Gupta assured that he would help the UK based company bag the project and talked about his influence in the government. In the subsequent meetings he elaborated on his functioning and said that he worked from the [[Prime Minister's Office (India)|Prime Minister's Office]] (PMO).<ref name="ol2">[http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?211141-4 Tehelka's Operation West End], March 24, 2001, Outlook.</ref>
⚫
The team then met R. K. Gupta, the RSS trustee and a big defence middleman. He was quite vocal about his relationship with the Prime Minister [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] and [[Lal Krishna Advani]] and said that both of them were tenants at his properties. He had also helped establish the RSS headquarters in 1967 in Jhandewala, [[Delhi]]. He assured the team that he will get their work done and will pay the bribe on their behalf to the Defence Secretary, Joint Secretary, Under Secretary, the then treasurer of the party Ved Prakash Goyal, [[List of Presidents of the Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP’s national president]] Bangaru Laxman. He did not wanted to involve [[Brajesh Mishra]] as his price was rupees one [[crore]].<ref name="ol3">[http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?211141-5 Page 5, Tehelka's Operation West End], March 24, 2001, Outlook.</ref>


⚫
Brigadier Sehgal demanded to be entertained in a five-star hotel to which the team agreed. He also brought in Lt. Colonel Sharma, who was an army officer posted in procurement section of the [[Indian Air Force]]. procurement section. After the meeting, Brigadier Sehgal demanded Rs. 200,000 to give documents related to the procurement of hand-held [[Thermographic camera|thermal cameras]] and other equipment that the company might be interested in supplying to the Indian Army. After accepting the money he also advised on how to proceed in the matter of bidding for the hand-held thermal cameras. During the conversation, Brigadier Sehgal said that the company would have to pay to everyone and some percentage would also reach the then Defence Minister [[George Fernandes]]. P. Sashi Menon also provided confidential documents related to the procurement of [[ammunition]], tubes, clothing and helicopters.
⚫
On December 23, 2000,<ref name="it1">[http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/tehelka-sting-how-bangaru-laxman-fell-for-the-trap/1/186303.html)Firstpost Tehelka sting: How Bangaru Laxman fell for the trap], April 27, 2012, India Today.</ref> journalists posing as representatives of the arms manufacturing company held their first meeting with the then BJP chief Bangaru Laxma. They then met him several times over the period of one week and promised to compensate him for his recommendation to the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Defence Ministry]] of Supply regarding hand-held thermal imagers. On January 1, 2001, Laxman accepted One [[lakh]] rupees at BJP’s office for pursuing their proposal.<ref name="yt">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsuUIRiVlsU Operation West End: The Bangaru Laxman Tape], April 27, 2012, YouTube.</ref> On January 7, 2001, the final meeting held between the fake representatives and Laxman.

⚫
On 26 November 2000, the team was introduced to Deepak Gupta, the son of [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS) [[trustee]] R. K. Gupta. Deepak Gupta assured that he would help the UK based company bag the project and talked about his influence in the government. In the subsequent meetings he elaborated on his functioning and said that he worked from the [[Prime Minister's Office (India)|Prime Minister's Office]] (PMO).<ref name="ol2">[http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?211141-4 Tehelka's Operation West End] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223124515/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?211141-4 |date=23 December 2014 }}, March 24, 2001, Outlook.</ref>

⚫
The team then met R. K. Gupta, the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh|RSS]] trustee and a big defence middleman. He was quite vocal about his relationship with the Prime Minister [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] and [[Lal Krishna Advani]] and said that both of them were tenants at his properties. He had also helped establish the RSS headquarters in 1967 in Jhandewala, [[Delhi]]. He assured the team that he will get their work done and will pay the bribes on their behalf to the Defence Secretary, Joint Secretary, Under Secretary, BJP treasurer [[Ved Prakash Goyal]], and president Bangaru Laxman. He did not want to involve [[Brajesh Mishra]] as his price was rupees one [[crore]].<ref name="ol3">[http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?211141-5 Page 5, Tehelka's Operation West End] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223122851/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?211141-5 |date=23 December 2014 }}, March 24, 2001, Outlook.</ref>

⚫
On December 23, 2000,<ref name="it1">[http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/tehelka-sting-how-bangaru-laxman-fell-for-the-trap/1/186303.html)Firstpost Tehelka sting: How Bangaru Laxman fell for the trap] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014172605/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/tehelka-sting-how-bangaru-laxman-fell-for-the-trap/1/186303.html)Firstpost |date=14 October 2013 }}, April 27, 2012, India Today.</ref> journalists posing as representatives of the arms manufacturing company held their first meeting with the then BJP chief Bangaru Laxman. They then met him several times over the period of one week and promised to compensate him for his recommendation to the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Defence Ministry]] on the supply of hand-held thermal imagers. On January 1, 2001, Laxman accepted one [[lakh]] rupees at the BJP’s office for pursuing their proposal.<ref name="yt">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsuUIRiVlsU Operation West End: The Bangaru Laxman Tape] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725092522/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsuUIRiVlsU |date=25 July 2014 }}, April 27, 2012, YouTube.</ref> On January 7, 2001, the final meeting held between the fake representatives and Laxman.


== Bribes paid ==
== Bribes paid ==
The bribes paid during the operation:<ref name="olb">[http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Bribes-Paid-During-Operation-West-End/211144 Bribes Paid During Operation West End], March 24, 2001, Outlook.</ref>
The bribes paid during the operation:<ref name="olb">[http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Bribes-Paid-During-Operation-West-End/211144 Bribes Paid During Operation West End] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402104828/http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Bribes-Paid-During-Operation-West-End/211144 |date=2 April 2015 }}, March 24, 2001, Outlook.</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cbi-court-appreciates-haryana-ex-ias-officer-evidence-sting-operation-5995477/ | title=CBI court appreciates Haryana ex-IAS officer's evidence in case that saw a retired Major General getting 3-yr jail | date=14 September 2019 | access-date=23 September 2024 | archive-date=24 June 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624074317/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cbi-court-appreciates-haryana-ex-ias-officer-evidence-sting-operation-5995477/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
* P. Sashi Menon – Rs. 52,000. He was Senior Section Officer, Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS)
* P. Sashi Menon, Senior Section Officer, Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS) – Rs. 52,000.
* Colonel Anil Sehgal – Rs. 40,000. He was Director, Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS)
* Brigadier Anil Sehgal, Director, Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS) – Rs. 40,000.
* Brigadier Iqbal Singh – Rs. 50,000. He was Prospective Procurement Officer (PPO).
* Brigadier Iqbal Singh, Prospective Procurement Officer (PPO) – Rs. 50,000.
* Lt. Colonel Sayal – Rs. 80,000. He was ex-official of Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS) and a defence middleman.
* Lt. Colonel (Retd.) Sayal, former officer in the Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS) and a defence middleman – Rs. 80,000.
* Major General S. P. Murgai – Rs. 1,40,000. He was a retired Additional Director General, Quality Assurance.
* Major General (Retd.) S. P. Murgai, retired Additional Director General, Quality Assurance – Rs. 1,40,000.
* Narendra Singh – Rs. 10,000
* Narendra Singh – Rs. 10,000
* H. C. Pant – Rs. 60,000. He was Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Defence
* H. C. Pant, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Defence – Rs. 60,000.
* [[Jaya Jaitly]] – Rs. 2,00,000. She was National President of [[Samta Party]]
* [[Jaya Jaitly]], president of [[Samta Party]] and partner of Defence Minister [[George Fernandes]] – Rs. 2,00,000
* R. K. Jain – Rs. 50,000. He was National Treasurer of Samta party and a defence middleman
* R. K. Jain, treasurer of Samta Party – Rs. 50,000.
* Bangaru Laxman – Rs. 1,00,000. He was National President of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)
*[[Bangaru Laxman]], president of Bharatiya Janata Party – Rs. 1,00,000.
* Sathyamurthi – A gold chain. He was the Secretary of Bangaru Laxman
* Sathyamurthi, secretary to Bangaru Laxman – A gold chain.
* Raju Venkatesh – Rs. 10,000. He was the Secretary of Bangaru Laxman
* Raju Venkatesh, secretary to Bangaru Laxman – Rs. 10,000.
* Surendra Sulekha – Rs. 1,00,000. He was an industrialist from Kanpur
* Surendra Sulekha, industrialist from Kanpur – Rs. 1,00,000.
* Major General Choudary – Rs. 1,00,000 and a gold chain. He was Additional Director General, Weapons and Equipment (ADE, W.E.)
* Major General Choudary, Additional Director General, Weapons and Equipment (ADE, W.E.) – Rs. 1,00,000 and a gold chain.
* L. M. Mehta – A gold chain. He was Additional Defence Secretary, IAS
* Suresh – Rs. 7,000
* Suresh – Rs. 7,000
* Raghupati – Rs. 16,000
* Raghupati – Rs. 16,000


== Aftermath ==
== Aftermath ==
On March 13, 2001,<ref name="it1" /> Tehelka released video CDs of the sting operation that led to political storm in India. Subsequently, Bangaru Laxman had to resign from the position of BJP president. It emerged that the defence deals were not driven by considerations of national security, but by the [[greed]] of political and bureaucratic people.<ref name="hindu2001" /> The defence minister George Fernandes and his party president Jaya Jaitly resigned. [[Mamata Banerjee]], an important ally of the coalition quit the government.<ref name="nyt">[https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/16/world/the-sting-that-has-india-writhing.html?pagewanted=1 The Sting That Has India Writhing], March 16, 2001, The New York Times.</ref>
On March 13, 2001,<ref name="it1" /> Tehelka released video CDs of the sting operation that led to political storm in India. Bangaru Laxman had to resign from the position of BJP president. It emerged that the defence deals were not driven by considerations of national security, but by the [[greed]] of political and bureaucratic people.<ref name="hindu2001">[https://archive.today/20150309145729/http://www.thehindu.com/2001/03/20/stories/13200341.htm Operation West End], March 20, 2001, The Hindu.</ref> The defence minister George Fernandes was forced to resign. Jaya Jaitly resigned as president of the Samta party. [[Mamata Banerjee]], an important ally of the coalition quit the government.<ref name="nyt">[https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/16/world/the-sting-that-has-india-writhing.html?pagewanted=1 The Sting That Has India Writhing] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815174854/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/16/world/the-sting-that-has-india-writhing.html?pagewanted=1 |date=15 August 2017 }}, March 16, 2001, The New York Times.</ref>

In Operation West End, individuals captured in the sting operation made claims and accusations regarding the identities of the most power arms dealers or agents in India. Among those named in the allegations, [[Vipin Khanna]], [[Sudhir Choudhrie]], and [[Suresh Nanda]] were alleged to be the three most powerful arms dealers or agents in the country.<ref name=":44" /><ref name=":42" /> Other named in the allegations as alledly smaller arms dealers were Mohinder Singh Sahani and R.K. Gupta.<ref name=":44" /><ref name=":42" /> These individuals were later investigated due to the allegations and claims made against them in Operation West End.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mohan |first=Vishwa |date=2007-05-06 |title=Arms-dealer with Congress link in CBI net |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/arms-dealer-with-congress-link-in-cbi-net/articleshow/2008339.cms |access-date=2024-09-23 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257 |archive-date=11 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210911114624/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/arms-dealer-with-congress-link-in-cbi-net/articleshow/2008339.cms |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 October 2006 |title=CBI conducts raids on arms dealers |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/cbi-conducts-raids-on-arms-dealers/story-GMsTYwOy1FBcRs9vBKwhsO.html |access-date=24 September 2024 |website=Hindustan Times |archive-date=25 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240925234622/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/cbi-conducts-raids-on-arms-dealers/story-GMsTYwOy1FBcRs9vBKwhsO.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


The government booked Tehelka under many sections and used Inland Revenue, Enforcement Directorate and Intelligence Bureau but could not find anything. Investors of the website were also investigated and Tehelk’s financer Shanker Sharma was imprisoned without any charge. The journalists who carried out the investigation were also imprisoned.<ref name="tg">[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2003/jan/06/newmedia.india Website pays price for Indian bribery expose], January 6, 2003, The Guardian.</ref>
The government booked Tehelka under many sections and used Inland Revenue, Enforcement Directorate and Intelligence Bureau but could not find anything. Investors of the website were also investigated and Tehelka’s financer Shanker Sharma was imprisoned without any charge. The journalists who carried out the investigation were also imprisoned.<ref name="tg">[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2003/jan/06/newmedia.india Website pays price for Indian bribery expose] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203050905/http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2003/jan/06/newmedia.india |date=3 December 2013 }}, January 6, 2003, The Guardian.</ref>


== Judgement by court ==
== Judgement by court ==
On April 27, 2012, a special [[Central Bureau of Investigation|CBI]] court convicted the former BJP President, Bangaru Laxman of [[Political corruption|corruption]] charges.<ref name="hindu">[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3360364.ece Bangaru Laxman convicted of taking bribe], April 28, 2012, The Hindu.</ref> On April 28, 2012, the court sentenced him to four year of rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a fine of one lakh rupees.<ref name="hindu2">[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bangaru-laxman-sentenced-to-4year-rigorous-imprisonment/article3364120.ece Bangaru Laxman sentenced to 4-year rigorous imprisonment], April 28, 2012, The Hindu.</ref>
On April 27, 2012, a special [[Central Bureau of Investigation|CBI]] court convicted the former BJP President, Bangaru Laxman of [[Political corruption|corruption]] charges.<ref name="hindu">[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3360364.ece Bangaru Laxman convicted of taking bribe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501113222/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3360364.ece |date=1 May 2012 }}, April 28, 2012, The Hindu.</ref> On April 28, 2012, the court sentenced him to four year of rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a fine of one lakh [[Indian rupee|rupees]].<ref name="hindu2">[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bangaru-laxman-sentenced-to-4year-rigorous-imprisonment/article3364120.ece Bangaru Laxman sentenced to 4-year rigorous imprisonment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124234308/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bangaru-laxman-sentenced-to-4year-rigorous-imprisonment/article3364120.ece |date=24 January 2013 }}, April 28, 2012, The Hindu.</ref>


== Controversy ==
== Controversy ==
The investigation into the sting operation took a dramatic turn when it was revealed that [[prostitutes]] were supplied to three defence officials.<ref name="rediff">[http://m.rediff.com/news/2001/aug/22teh.htm Tehelka expose: Armymen bribed with prostitutes], August 22, 2001, Rediff.</ref> Both Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Samata Party condemned it and raised the questions on ethical side of investigative journalism. However, Aniruddh Bahal, the journalist who was a part of the operation said, “When the demand came from armymen (to have prostitutes) we were foxed. We resisted it. We were baffled. But the demand was so forceful we could not proceed further without catering to their demand.” They decided to provide prostitutes to show that officials were ready to go to any level.<ref name="rediff" />
The investigation into the sting operation took a dramatic turn when it was revealed that [[prostitutes]] were supplied to three defence officials.<ref name="rediff">[http://m.rediff.com/news/2001/aug/22teh.htm Tehelka expose: Armymen bribed with prostitutes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095906/http://m.rediff.com/news/2001/aug/22teh.htm |date=2 April 2015 }}, August 22, 2001, Rediff.</ref> Both Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Samata Party condemned it and raised the questions on ethical side of investigative journalism. However, Aniruddh Bahal, the journalist who was a part of the operation said, “When the demand came from armymen (to have prostitutes) we were foxed. We resisted it. We were baffled. But the demand was so forceful we could not proceed further without catering to their demand.” They decided to provide prostitutes to show that officials were ready to go to any level.<ref name="rediff" />


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Political corruption in India]]
[[Category:Political corruption in India]]
[[Category:Scandals in India]]
[[Category:Scandals in India]]
[[Category:Investigative journalism]]
[[Category:2001 in India]]

Latest revision as of 16:30, 2 December 2024

Operation West End was a sting operation conducted in 2001 by Indian news magazine Tehelka to expose defence deals conducted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Over a seven-and-half-month investigation, special correspondents of the magazine filmed several corrupt defence officials and politicians of NDA government, including the BJP President Bangaru Laxman, accepting bribes and discussing kickbacks. During Operation West End, individuals filmed in the sting operation made allegations and claims of who the most powerful arms dealers or agents in India were.[1] Vipin Khanna, Sudhir Choudhrie and Suresh Nanda faced allegations and claims of being the three most powerful arms dealers in India.[1][2]

Sting operation

[edit]

The magazine created a fictitious London-based arms manufacturing company called 'West End International'. Investigative journalists from the magazine would get in touch with junior officers of the Indian defence establishment and move upwards.

The operation started with Senior Section Officer P. Sashi Menon who was posted in the Ministry of Defence.[3] After getting some monetary incentive, P. Sashi Menon took the team to Brigadier Anil Sehgal’s house in New Delhi. Sehgal was then the Deputy Director in Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS) in the Indian Army, an important army procurement post. Sashi Menon and Sehgal provided the Tehelka team with information about the defence products being but the army and instructions on how to proceed in order to sell their products.

Brigadier Sehgal demanded to be entertained in a five-star hotel to which the team agreed. He also brought in Lt. Colonel Sharma, who was an army officer posted in procurement section of the Indian Air Force. procurement section. After the meeting, Brigadier Sehgal demanded Rs. 200,000 to give documents related to the procurement of hand-held thermal cameras and other equipment that the company might be interested in supplying to the Indian Army. After accepting the money he also advised on how to proceed in the matter of bidding for the hand-held thermal cameras. During the conversation, Brigadier Sehgal said that the company would have to pay to everyone and some percentage would also reach the then Defence Minister George Fernandes. P. Sashi Menon also provided confidential documents related to the procurement of ammunition, tubes, clothing and helicopters.

On 26 November 2000, the team was introduced to Deepak Gupta, the son of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) trustee R. K. Gupta. Deepak Gupta assured that he would help the UK based company bag the project and talked about his influence in the government. In the subsequent meetings he elaborated on his functioning and said that he worked from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).[4]

The team then met R. K. Gupta, the RSS trustee and a big defence middleman. He was quite vocal about his relationship with the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani and said that both of them were tenants at his properties. He had also helped establish the RSS headquarters in 1967 in Jhandewala, Delhi. He assured the team that he will get their work done and will pay the bribes on their behalf to the Defence Secretary, Joint Secretary, Under Secretary, BJP treasurer Ved Prakash Goyal, and president Bangaru Laxman. He did not want to involve Brajesh Mishra as his price was rupees one crore.[5]

On December 23, 2000,[6] journalists posing as representatives of the arms manufacturing company held their first meeting with the then BJP chief Bangaru Laxman. They then met him several times over the period of one week and promised to compensate him for his recommendation to the Defence Ministry on the supply of hand-held thermal imagers. On January 1, 2001, Laxman accepted one lakh rupees at the BJP’s office for pursuing their proposal.[7] On January 7, 2001, the final meeting held between the fake representatives and Laxman.

Bribes paid

[edit]

The bribes paid during the operation:[8][9]

  • P. Sashi Menon, Senior Section Officer, Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS) – Rs. 52,000.
  • Brigadier Anil Sehgal, Director, Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS) – Rs. 40,000.
  • Brigadier Iqbal Singh, Prospective Procurement Officer (PPO) – Rs. 50,000.
  • Lt. Colonel (Retd.) Sayal, former officer in the Directorate General of Ordnance and Supply (DGOS) and a defence middleman – Rs. 80,000.
  • Major General (Retd.) S. P. Murgai, retired Additional Director General, Quality Assurance – Rs. 1,40,000.
  • Narendra Singh – Rs. 10,000
  • H. C. Pant, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Defence – Rs. 60,000.
  • Jaya Jaitly, president of Samta Party and partner of Defence Minister George Fernandes – Rs. 2,00,000
  • R. K. Jain, treasurer of Samta Party – Rs. 50,000.
  • Bangaru Laxman, president of Bharatiya Janata Party – Rs. 1,00,000.
  • Sathyamurthi, secretary to Bangaru Laxman – A gold chain.
  • Raju Venkatesh, secretary to Bangaru Laxman – Rs. 10,000.
  • Surendra Sulekha, industrialist from Kanpur – Rs. 1,00,000.
  • Major General Choudary, Additional Director General, Weapons and Equipment (ADE, W.E.) – Rs. 1,00,000 and a gold chain.
  • Suresh – Rs. 7,000
  • Raghupati – Rs. 16,000

Aftermath

[edit]

On March 13, 2001,[6] Tehelka released video CDs of the sting operation that led to political storm in India. Bangaru Laxman had to resign from the position of BJP president. It emerged that the defence deals were not driven by considerations of national security, but by the greed of political and bureaucratic people.[10] The defence minister George Fernandes was forced to resign. Jaya Jaitly resigned as president of the Samta party. Mamata Banerjee, an important ally of the coalition quit the government.[11]

In Operation West End, individuals captured in the sting operation made claims and accusations regarding the identities of the most power arms dealers or agents in India. Among those named in the allegations, Vipin Khanna, Sudhir Choudhrie, and Suresh Nanda were alleged to be the three most powerful arms dealers or agents in the country.[1][2] Other named in the allegations as alledly smaller arms dealers were Mohinder Singh Sahani and R.K. Gupta.[1][2] These individuals were later investigated due to the allegations and claims made against them in Operation West End.[12][13]

The government booked Tehelka under many sections and used Inland Revenue, Enforcement Directorate and Intelligence Bureau but could not find anything. Investors of the website were also investigated and Tehelka’s financer Shanker Sharma was imprisoned without any charge. The journalists who carried out the investigation were also imprisoned.[14]

Judgement by court

[edit]

On April 27, 2012, a special CBI court convicted the former BJP President, Bangaru Laxman of corruption charges.[15] On April 28, 2012, the court sentenced him to four year of rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a fine of one lakh rupees.[16]

Controversy

[edit]

The investigation into the sting operation took a dramatic turn when it was revealed that prostitutes were supplied to three defence officials.[17] Both Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Samata Party condemned it and raised the questions on ethical side of investigative journalism. However, Aniruddh Bahal, the journalist who was a part of the operation said, “When the demand came from armymen (to have prostitutes) we were foxed. We resisted it. We were baffled. But the demand was so forceful we could not proceed further without catering to their demand.” They decided to provide prostitutes to show that officials were ready to go to any level.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Trehan, Madhu (6 April 2011). Prism Me a Lie Tell Me A Truth: Tehelka as Metaphor. New Delhi: Roli Books. ISBN 978-81-7436-950-5. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Bahal, Aniruddha; Samuel, Mathew. "Operation West End". Tehelka. p. 36. Archived from the original on 31 March 2001. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  3. ^ Tehelka's Operation West End Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine, March 24, 2001, Outlook.
  4. ^ Tehelka's Operation West End Archived 23 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, March 24, 2001, Outlook.
  5. ^ Page 5, Tehelka's Operation West End Archived 23 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, March 24, 2001, Outlook.
  6. ^ a b Tehelka sting: How Bangaru Laxman fell for the trap Archived 14 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine, April 27, 2012, India Today.
  7. ^ Operation West End: The Bangaru Laxman Tape Archived 25 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine, April 27, 2012, YouTube.
  8. ^ Bribes Paid During Operation West End Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine, March 24, 2001, Outlook.
  9. ^ "CBI court appreciates Haryana ex-IAS officer's evidence in case that saw a retired Major General getting 3-yr jail". 14 September 2019. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  10. ^ Operation West End, March 20, 2001, The Hindu.
  11. ^ The Sting That Has India Writhing Archived 15 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine, March 16, 2001, The New York Times.
  12. ^ Mohan, Vishwa (6 May 2007). "Arms-dealer with Congress link in CBI net". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  13. ^ "CBI conducts raids on arms dealers". Hindustan Times. 10 October 2006. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  14. ^ Website pays price for Indian bribery expose Archived 3 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, January 6, 2003, The Guardian.
  15. ^ Bangaru Laxman convicted of taking bribe Archived 1 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine, April 28, 2012, The Hindu.
  16. ^ Bangaru Laxman sentenced to 4-year rigorous imprisonment Archived 24 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine, April 28, 2012, The Hindu.
  17. ^ a b Tehelka expose: Armymen bribed with prostitutes Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine, August 22, 2001, Rediff.
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