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Giving a new dimension to the probe into the Tehelka expose, the Venkataswami Commission on Thursday said it would also look into the motives and means employed in the sting operation by the news portal.
The decision has come in the wake of the government alleging that it was a "financially motivated exercise and not a journalistic one".
"It (probe) would include in its fold whether the motivation of tehelka.com in embarking upon Operation Westend was out of purely journalistic angle or would it include in its fold financial or economic aspects as well," Justice K Venkataswami said in his order.
The judge said, "The question of the means employed by tehelka.com while making the tapes in question would also assume importance in the circumstance of the case."
The means that would be considered include usage of call girls and liquor to trap defence officials to extract information.
Venkatswami, who also considered the plea of Defence Minister George Fernandes to let him appear first as the witness, said Fernandes, even if allowed to come first, would have to come again if and when required.
PTI
ALSO SEE The Complete Coverage. The Great Defence Scandal
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