Tehelka Case: Supreme Court rejects plea to quash criminal proceedings against ex-BJP president Bangaru Laxman

NEW DELHI: In a setback to the former BJP president Bangaru Laxman, the Supreme Court has refused to quash the criminal proceedings against him for allegedly receiving one lakh bribe during Tehelka sting operation.

A bench comprising Justice AK Ganguly and Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra on Tuesday dismissed the plea of the former BJP chief challenging the legality of the proceedings against him in the case.

The court, however, said it was not making any observation on the merits of the case and it will be decided by the trial court. Laxman had come to the apex court challenging the order of the Delhi High Court which had refused to quash the proceedings against him.

The case, lodged by the CBI pertains to 2001 when the sting operation was done by Tehelka news portal. It showed Laxman receiving money from undercover journalists, posing as arms dealers, for his recommendation to the defence ministry to purchase their wares for the Army. The video CDs of the sting operation were released on May 13, 2001, by the portal.

The appellant had told the SC that the special CBI court had taken cognisance on the basis of erroneous facts and "non-application" of facts.

He had alleged that the agency had adopted a partisan approach in the entire case owing to "political motives".