New Delhi: Justice S N Phukan today (Oct 04, 2004) said it was a prerogative of the Government to scrap the Commission, headed by him to inquire into the Tehelka expose on Defence deals, but made it clear he was not told about it.

"I have nothing to say at this moment as I have not received any communication nor even a telephone call from the Government about this," he told sources when asked for his reaction on the Centre's decision to scrap the Commission.

"It is a prerogative of the Government to scrap the Commission. They have done it," Justice Phukan said after Law Minister H R Bharadwaj announced the decision of the Government not to extend the term of the Commission, which expired on Oct 3, 2004.

He said, he had never applied for the post of Chairman. "It was the Government which had appointed me", he added.

On the Government's decision to hand over the probe to CBI, Justice Phukan said, "The agency can register a case provided a cognizable offence is made out".

He said, he has not yet seen the notification scrapping the Commission and entrusting the matter to CBI to probe into the Tehelka expose and the role of "various personalities" video taped during the sting operation carried out by web portal Tehelka.