Court orders trial of Bangaru Laxman

A Delhi court has framed charges against former BJP president Bangaru Laxman, who was filmed accepting a bribe from a fictitious arms dealer in the Tehelka expose more than 10 years ago. HT reports.

A Delhi court has framed charges against former BJP president Bangaru Laxman, who was filmed accepting a bribe from a fictitious arms dealer in the Tehelka expose more than 10 years ago. The court has ordered him to stand trial in the bribery case.

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Special judge Vinod Kumar ordered Laxman’s trial, framing charges against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act, saying “prima facie it appears that the accused accepted money.”

The former BJP chief was caught on camera accepting money in a 2001 sting operation conducted by newsportal Tehelka.com with its scribes posing as representatives of a fictitious UK-based company West End International, seeking his recommendation to the ministry for the supply of hand-held thermal imager to the Indian Army.

The video CDs were released by the portal on March 13, 2001. The court ordered Laxman to face the trial observing, “the intention and act of the accused were real.”

“Prima facie, it appears that accused accepted money from the functionaries of the West End International, London, for exercising his personal influence upon the public servant concerned to get favour for the aforesaid firm.”

The court said charge under Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 will be framed against the accused.