Author: Aloke Sharma/Saharanpur
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: June 3, 2002
This one is straight from a thriller.
Digital cameras in the middle of the Shivalik forests in Uttar Pradesh,
poachers 'shooting' themselves while hunting animals and on being caught
revealing that journalists paid them money for the footage. And the twist
in the tale? They name Tarun Tejpal's Tehelka.com as the client.
Tehelka is in trouble yet again.
A case of criminal conspiracy has been registered against Mr Tejpal along
with his Editor (Investigations) Aniruddha Bahl, vice-president Neena Sharma
and Kumar Badal, a reporter. The online news site allegedly paid money
to buy footage of animals being killed and later, on being caught, tried
to bribe police officials to hush up the matter.
According to police officials, the
Bihari Garh police in Saharanpur arrested two poachers, Inam and Meharban,
on May 24 last. Suspicions arose when the police recovered digital cameras,
besides the skins and firearms, from the duo.
On interrogation it was revealed
that the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Dehra Dun, Mr Paramjeet Singh
had introduced the two to a team of Tehelka journalists, including its
reporter Kumar Badal, alias, Pankaj. The reporter allegedly promised the
poachers huge amounts of money to make videotapes of animal being hunted.
They, however, never mentioned what exactly was their motive.
The poachers also revealed to the
police that they had made a few videotapes of animal hunting, which they
had handed over to Kumar Badal.
When they came to know of the arrests,
the Tehelka journalists tried to bribe the officials to hush up the matter.
It is alleged that vice-president of Tehelka.com Neena Sharma and journalist
Aniruddha Bahl offered bribe to SSP VK Aggarwal and the investigating officer.
According to the PRO at the Saharanpur
SSP's office, "The police came to know that the officials of Delhi-based
Buffalo Network Pvt Ltd's website Tehelka.com, Tarun Tejpal, Neena Sharma,
Aniruddha Behl and Kumar Badal made a conspiracy with the help of DFO,
Dehra Dun, Paramjeet Singh. The Tehelka team made this plot for commercial
benefits under the garb of investigative journalism. Kumar Badal was working
on this job under a false name, Pankaj. He lured the hunters to make videotapes
of wild animals being hunted."
According to a statement released
by Mr Bahl, the case against Tehelka has been concocted as part of their
"ongoing harassment." Mr Bahl denied the allegations.
