New Delhi: Tehelka news portal on December 8 asserted it would not participate in any Commission of Inquiry into alleged Defence deals, and said appointment of a new judge in place of Justice Venkataswami was nothing but another "charade" by the government.

"We will not participate in any more Commissions of Inquiry. We have given everything. We have no desire to be part of another charade," Tehelka managing editor Tarun Tejpal said.

The news portal had already wasted more than two years on "truth exposed by it", he said, adding "appointment of a new judge to the Commission, which government has been able to successfully derail, will be just another charade and we do not want to be a part of it".

"I do not think there is any need of a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the expose as demanded by many political parties."

"The best the government can do is to let Parliament form a cross-party committee to which the inquiry report by the judge (Venkataswami) on 15 actual Defence deals be made available so that it can look into the issue," Tejpal said.

Justice Venkataswami resigned on November 23 in the wake of controversy about his accepting a government job while being head of the commission probing allegations of corruption in Defence deals.

Asked why the portal decided to withdraw from the investigation process at this stage, Tejpal said, "We have neither resources nor will to pursue another charade. The truth is out there in the tapes. Most people have seen it and recognised it. Those who choose not to recognise are forced to do so."

PTI