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Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan on Thursday told the Lok Sabha that the ministry of home affairs would examine whether journalists of the website Tehelka.com used prostitutes during its expose on corruption in defence deals and would initiate strict action against those who had broken the law.
Responding to the debate in the House on the issue, Mahajan pointed out that the media in the country was absolutely free to gather news.
He, however, pointed out that it had to be seen what measures were being used in the name of investigative journalism.
Mahajan said that investigative journalism did not justify the use of immoral measures.
But the House witnessed uproarious scenes when the minister gave a clean chit to George Fernandes who had resigned as defence minister in the wake of the expose.
"In my opinion, he is innocent. But this would be decided by the Venkataswami Commission probing the matter," he said.
Mahajan's remark drew strong protests from the Opposition with Congress chief whip Priyaranjan Dasmunsi questioning his status to exonerate the former defence minister when a Commission of Inquiry was probing the matter.
With inputs from PTI
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