Wednesday, May 4 2005 22:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Describing the use of Air Force aircraft by Justice S N Phukan, who was probing various Defence deals as an act of "impropriety and gross misuse" of public fund, Congress today (May 4, 2005) demanded that the Commission's report should be "outrightly" rejected.

It also sought tabling of the Justice Venkataswami Report to know "which direction" the probe was heading when he quit.

"It is an act of impropriety and gross misuse of public fund. We have demanded that the Phukan Report be outrightly rejected....The report prepared by Justice Venkataswami should be tabled so that it is known as to which direction the Tehelka probe was heading at that time," party spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters.

He was replying to a query if the party would demand making public the first part of the Tehelka Report prepared by Venkataswami as Congress and its other UPA (United Progressive Alliance) allies have "questioned the credibility" of the Phukan report as also setting of the Commission itself.

The second part of the report contains the inquiry conducted by Phukan, who was appointed to head the Commission mid-way after Venkataswami was "forced" to resign, he said.

He said it was surprising that Phukan, who was heading an Inquiry Commission which was going into deals during the tenure of former Defence Minister Fernandes, had sought the services of Indian Air Force aircraft to visit certain places.

"It was not part of the terms and reference of Inquiry... The Defence Minister himself gave the order for the use of the aircraft following the request made by his Counsel in the case," he said.

Questioning the rationale behind Phukan's decision to use Air Force aircraft when regular flights were available, Sharma said this raised the question of the "credibility" of the report.

"During the 14 Defence deals probed by the Phukan Commission, they did not visit Bangalore and other places, but went to Ajanta and Ellora. That is why they (NDA) were demanding tabling of the Phukan Commission's report as soon as possible," he said adding "it was a cover up and pure match fixing" between Fernandes and Phukan.

Sharma also said that Congress party was not demanding any other Commission of inquiry into the news portals expose as all the matters (cases of Defence deals) have been referred to CBI.

Asked if there was any need of tabling the Phukan Report as were being demanded, he said it was for the Government to take a decision on the issue. "As far as Congress is concerned, there is no credibility of the report."

On the action taken by the Government on the report, Sharma said it is for the Government to speak. "We did not advised Phukan to make public statements. He did not even consult any Defence experts during his probe."