Tehelka's Tarun Tejpal To Publish Unconditional Apology For 'Defamatory' Story Against Former Army Officer

Tehelka magazines's former editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal and co-founder Aniruddha Bahal on Friday told the Delhi High Court that they will publish an unconditional apology in a national english newspaper stating that former Major General MS Ahluwalia, who filed a defamation case against them in 2002 over a news report depicting him as a “corrupt middleman” in defence deals, neither asked for nor accepted any bribery.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing an appeal moved by Tejpal and Bahal against an order passed last year by a single judge directing them, as well as Tehelka and a journalist Mathew Samuel to pay Rs. 2 crores to Ahluwalia for defaming him.

The bench was informed by Tejpal and Bahal that they will be depositing Rs. 10 lakhs each with the High Court.

The court said that the apology and money be deposited within a period of two weeks and listed the appeal for final disposal in April on the issue of quantum of damages.

A story was carried by Tehelka in March 2001 depicting Ahluwalia as an alleged corrupt middleman in the defence deals relating to import of new defence equipments.

The impugned order was passed by the single judge on July 21 last year. The court had observed that Ahluwalia's reputation had suffered as he not only faced lowering of estimation in the eyes of public but his character also got maligned with serious allegations of corruption, which no subsequent refutation can redress or heal.

A review plea was then filed by Tehelka and Bahal which was dismissed by the single judge in September last year. While doing so, the single judge had noted that the authenticity of the sting operation or of the recorded conversations of Ahluwalia was not under challenge.

The single judge had held Tehelka, Tejpal and the two journalists, who allegedly worked as undercover by representing themselves on behalf of a fictitious defence equipment firm based in London, liable for defamation.

The court had however said that Ahluwalia failed to prove any act of defamation on the part of Zee Telefilm Limited, its former Chairman Subhash Chandra and former Chief Executive Officer Sandeep Goyal.

Title: MR. TARUN TEJPAL AND ANR v. MAJOR GENERAL M.S. AHLUWALIA AND ORS

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 50