What146;s standard operating procedure for stings?

Rumours and speculation swirl around the media as masala for its meat, but when the media itself falls victim it is time to clear the air.

Rumours and speculation swirl around the media as masala for its meat, but when the media itself falls victim it is time to clear the air. The recent CNN-IBN press statement attempts to do just that to justify its coyness in airing the tapes of the cash-for-votes episode played out before the whole world in India8217;s parliament. A comparison with the Tehelka sting brings some important issues to the forefront.

The history of sting operations in India, or the secret video-taping of supposed corruption, is only seven years old and began with the infamous Tehelka tapes in 2001. They were shown at a flamboyant press conference. Images distributed by Tehelka were beamed on every television channel immediately, and within four days Tehelka clinched a comfortable financial deal with Zee TV to air them on its fourteen channels at primetime. In those days no one questioned the airing of these tapes. Even today, their images are shown by the media, including CNN-IBN. Despite the fact that the civilian victims of their venture have filed defamation cases and are nowhere near being proven guilty in courts, a cloud of ignominy hangs over their heads while Tehelka, as 8216;bribe-givers8217; roam free in national interest.

Unlike CNN-IBN , Tehelka claimed they were in a hurry to get the tapes out to the public as their cover had been blown. There had been no time for further verification. This was the reason given for an incomplete 8216;investigation8217; and the many mistakes and discrepancies. They had no money or papers as evidence. In the Tehelka story the 8216;truth8217; was at best partial. Tehelka supremos self-righteously declared it was for the inquiry commission to find corroborative evidence and the truth. Their line was, 8220;We are the planners, motivators, actors, investigators, recorders and accusers in a story of sleaze, but if the results are incomplete, that8217;s too bad. We declare them crooks. It is now someone else8217;s job to reach the truth8221;.

The CNN-IBN press statement uses self-imposed guidelines as defence. They were not participants in the scam, did not engage in entrapment by offering cash, and were not operating under a false identity. They were, according to international standards, merely 8216;flies on the wall8217; recording an actual operation. They say their truths are inconclusive and partial, implying that injustice would be done if aired in this form. It is highly significant that CNN-IBN, in defining what they did not do, is actually describing what Tehelka did. Does this not make Tehelka8217;s operation completely invalid and CNN-IBN a model of propriety? Let us remember, however, that the victims of sting operations so far, whether the lady teacher Khurana , Ajit Jogi, Mayawati, Bangaru Laxman and others never had the luxury of being protected by guidelines. Does this mean that victims of a sting are to be left to the nature of the wolves? Did Amar Singh and Reoti Raman Singh, the alleged bribe givers, get lucky with CNN-IBN as the stingers? Do they roam free, again in national interest while the 8216;whistleblowers8217; are subjected to attack? Apparently, the UPA runs with the Tehelka model to humiliate political opponents while being conveniently protected from examination by the public under the CNN-IBN model.

The adoption of double standards for the sake of expediency, whether by the Lok Sabha Speaker, the government of the day, political parties, or the media no longer just affects individuals whose reputation may be tarnished. The absence of stringent and formal regulations to make stings credible and applicable to all have now caused the sanctity of parliament and democracy itself to be defamed before the world. CNN-IBN8217;s brave words have not changed that.

The writer is former president of the Samata Party

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