New Delhi: Tehelka made news again today (July 1, 2004) claiming to expose a doctor in Agra Mental Hospital who allegedly issued "false" medical certificates to people saying their wives were "mentally unsound" so that they could seek divorce.

At a press conference, Tehelka Editor-in-Chief Tarun Tejpal played a video film which he said was made in a sting operation to expose the psychiatrist Dr S K Gupta who was shown taking Rs 10,000 from a Tehelka journalist to give him the certificate on his personal letterhead bearing his seal.

Gupta told Star News that charges against him were "baseless" and said he never issues any certificate about any patient without examining him or her.

Gupta gave such certificates even without seeing the women he was certifying about, Tejpal said adding he would also say that they were under his observation for two months.

On the film, Gupta was heard telling the Tehelka's undercover journalist that he was ready to testify in court that his wife was mad and that he had given similar certificates to 10 other persons.

Tejpal said his organisation would file a Public Interest Litigation in Supreme Court seeking an inquiry into the case and compensation of Rs one crore for each victim.