Friday, May 13 2005 13:29 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Government today (May 13, 2005) rejected the report of the Phukan Commission, which probed the Tehelka expose into fictitious Defence deals, on the ground that it was "incomplete".

The Commission, headed by Justice S N Phukan, has "given its report only on two of the terms of reference instead of four made to it. The report is not complete. Therefore, the Government has rejected it," an official spokesperson said.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee tabled a copy of the part report of the Commission in the Lok Sabha.

The spokesperson said even the report on the two terms of reference were only on "procedural matters".

The cases relating to the expose have been referred by the Government to the CBI for a probe, the spokesperson added.

The Commission itself had termed the findings as part report, the spokesperson said.

The Commission had taken 47 months for 41-page part report, he said.

The Tehelka tape pay-offs episode broke out on March 13-14, 2001 and the then Government had appointed Venkataswami Commission to probe it on March 24 to give its findings within four months.

The Commission was given an extension up to October 3, 2004 and in the meantime, Justice Venkataswami resigned on November 25, 2002.

Justice Phukan was appointed on January 2, 2003 as Chairman of the Commission, which was wound up on October 3, 2004.

The Commission had 247 sittings.