New Delhi, December 30
In a setback to former Union Minister Dilip Singh Judeo, ahead of the Lok Sabha poll, the Andhra Pradesh Forensic Science Laboratory is understood to have confirmed to the CBI that the videotape showing him accepting cash is “authentic” and not “doctored”.
The report of the forensic laboratory, spelling out clearly that the tape contained a “true depiction” of events and that the “lip synchronisation (of all the characters in the tape) is also perfect”, has reached the CBI, which is investigating into the case, agency sources said here today.
The videotape, the extract of which was produced in a daily, had
triggered a big political controversy ahead of the just-concluded Assembly poll, resulting in the resignation of Mr Judeo from the Union Council of Ministers and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ordering a CBI probe. When contacted, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar tried to downplay the forensic
laboratory report and instead attacked the Opposition saying “now they (opposition parties) can’t accuse the CBI of acting in a partial manner”.
“Whether the tape is genuine or otherwise, it is the job of the CBI, which is probing the case, to identify. What we have been saying is that the videotape could have been doctored,” Mr Javadekar told The Tribune by telephone.
“Let the CBI complete its investigation. Let us not make any judgement now,” he said.
“The moment the videotape issue came to light, the BJP had demanded a thorough probe, Mr Judeo tendered resignation from the Council of Ministers immediately and the Prime Minister ordered a CBI probe,” he added.
