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First Global to sue govt over Tehelka trouble

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Shankar Sharma and Devina Mehra, directors of First Global which has 14.5 per cent stake in Tehelka.com, have decided to move the high court and seek punitive damages to the tune of Rs 4 billion from the Government of India for 'harassing' them.

Speaking to newsmen at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on Tuesday, Shankar Sharma said that he and Tarun Tejpal have so far fought their battles individually but now they have decided to fight together.

"Twenty-five times our offices and residences have been raided by the income tax and directorate of enforcement. We have been time and again asked what is our link with Tehelka.com. We have been denied permission to fly abroad because we have a 14.5 per cent stake in Tehelka.com. We were told to sell off our shares and we could go scot free. I and Devina are amongst the highest income tax payers in the country and yet our properties are being attached and we are being harassed no end. That is why we have decided to fight our battle with Tarun Tejpal and the Tehelka team," Shankar Sharma said.

He also said that the investigating agencies have been summoning them almost every day to explain what they have already explained earlier.

"We have received over 200 summons in last eight months. This is what we are going through now," he claimed.

Tarun Tejpal, Editor in Chief of Tehelka.com, alleged that the government was bent upon destroying Tehelka simply because they did an investigative story and exposed the sordid goings on in the defence ministry.

"Instead of chasing the corrupt, the government is now chasing us. After the Justice Venkataswamy pronounced the order that Tehelka tapes were not tampered with, the government decided not to give any credence to the commission which was set up following an executive order and has started harassing, both, Tehelka.com and those who are in any manner associated with it, like First Global," said an agitated Tejpal.

He recounted how various conspiracy theories were floated by the government agents and how the Tehelka team was dubbed as anti-national, agents of ISI, etc.

He vowed that despite the 'harassment', Tehelka would continue investigating journalism and expose the corrupt.

Eminent lawyer Rani Jethmalani described the actions of the government of India as the second emergency and asked the right thinking people to stand by Tehelka.com.

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