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‘Dollars,
you can give dollars’
(Tehelka paid
BJP President Bangaru Laxman Rs 1 lakh in the second meeting with him)
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| BJP
Parliamentary Party spokesman VK Malhotra’s reaction to the
CBI case against Bangaru Laxman |
““The
Congress party
spent Rs 120 crore in
the recent Lok Sabha
elections. What’s wrong
if anyone takes
Rs 1 lakh?” |
Tehelka:
Sir, my boss is here... in Oberoi... executive suite… so, can you
arrange the appointment tomorrow? Can you arrange?
Bangaru Laxman: Tomorrow?
Tehelka: So he will come and meet you…
for the party fund...
I have five lakh rupees... and today I will give you one lakh rupees. For
just the beginning. A New Year gift.
Bangaru: Hmm, hmm.
(Tehelka reporter takes out wads of currency notes and hands them over to
Bangaru)
Tehelka: Sir, this is a small gift…small
gift.
Bangaru: Oh, no, no…
Tehelka: It’s a small gift for the New
Year party. Right?
(Bangaru opens the drawer, takes money from the Tehelka reporter and puts
it away)
Tehelka: New Year party fund, hain? One lakh
rupee, hain?… So what time can I call my boss here?
Bangaru: Tomorrow…hmm…five o’clock.
Tehelka: Tomorrow. Rupee or dollar?
Bangaru: Dollars. You can give dollars.
(Bangaru was expecting a sum of around $25,000 from West End in the third
meeting)
Tehelka: … There is basically
one Israeli company there… Mr Brajesh Mishra, that principal secretary
to pm, he is supporting that company… You can solve it…
Bangaru: …on Brajesh Mishra? How?
Tehelka: … Defence people told me…
things don’t move in India without some political…
Bangaru: Yes, that is true, provided…. We shall try to do that…
So far we have been taking the help of Brajesh Mishra to organise this because
Brajesh Mishra is there on a number of committees apart from principal secretary
to prime minister…
Tehelka: ... is he the only person with influence? I’m
sure you carry more influence than him.
Bangaru: It’s like…. No, he deals with the bureaucracy…
whatever we tell to prime minister, he also normally has a word with Mishra…
And then certain things he will say that “No, no, you convey this
to Mishra…”
Tehelka: ... So basically he is the lynchpin in all the dealings?
Bangaru: He is…
Tehelka: … There’s a Mr
Ranjan Bhattacharya also, I’m told...
Bangaru: Well, he is a family member of prime minister… he
does something. But these things I don’t think he will get involved.
Tehelka: Accha. I was told that he’s got… lots of
projects and all being moved…
Bangaru: Maybe... as far as defence things are concerned, I don’t
think he has much… somewhat in power projects. This and that.
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December
18, 2004
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