New Delhi: With foreign experts expressing doubts over certain portions of the video tapes pertaining to the Defence purchases bribery expose, the Justice Phukan Commission probing it on September 19 asked Tehelka to produce within a week the original equipment used in the sting operation.

The Commission had referred the tapes to an independent expert in Britain for his opinion as some of those who had come under the sphere of suspicion during the sting operation had alleged that the tapes were interpolated to damage their reputation.

After perusing the communication received from the British expert expressing some doubts over certain portions of the tapes, Justice S N Phukan directed the news portal to produce the equipment used in recording the events along with an affidavit.

On the suggestion of Solicitor General Kirit Raval, it also asked the parties concerned to point out by September 22 specific portions of the tapes which according to them were tampered with.

Counsel for Samata Party leader Jaya Jaitly, who had also been shown in the tapes pertaining to the sting operation, had requested the Commission that the entire span of the tapes be sent to the forensic expert to clear doubts on their authenticity.

The British expert in his letter to the Commission said, "there are some areas of doubt that remain without having access to the original recording equipment."

He said tests on the original equipment would enable him to reach "stronger final conclusions regarding the originality of the video tapes."

PTI