Journalist Tarun Tejpal to publish apology over defamatory article against top Army officer, HC told
Tarun Tejpal told the Delhi High Court on Friday he will publish an apology in a national daily stating that an Indian Army officer, against whom he had levelled allegations of corruption in defence procurement, had not accepted any money. The high court was hearing an appeal filed by Tejpal, the proprietor of Tehelka.com, and its reporter Aniruddha Bahal challenging a single judge's order awarding a compensation of Rs 2 crore to Major General M S Ahluwalia for the loss of reputation suffered by him on account of a 2001 «expose» by the news portal alleging his involvement in corruption in defence procurement.
The counsel for the duo also told the high court that they will deposit Rs 10 lakh each with the court.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora took on record the undertaking made by Tejpal and Bahal's lawyers, and listed the appeal for hearing and disposal in April to decide the quantum of damages to be paid by them.
The high court also stayed the proceedings in the petition Ahluwalia has filed seeking execution of the decree passed in his favour.
Senior advocates Siddharth Luthra and Pramod Kumar Dubey, representing Tejpal and Bahal, submitted they are willing to deposit Rs 10 lakh each within two weeks and to publish an unconditional apology in a national English daily specifically stating that Ahluwalia had neither asked for nor accepted any money.
They claimed they do not have the means to pay a huge amount of Rs 2 crore to Ahluwalia.
The counsel for Ahluwalia contended that the appeal was not maintainable. He said the officer lived with stigma for nearly 22 years and a mere apology is not enough.
