M A I N   N E W S

Plot to kill Tehelka chief uncovered
Six ISI agents arrested
Our Correspondent

New Delhi, May 6
With the arrest of six persons the Delhi Police today claimed to have uncovered a plot of the Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence agency to create political instability in the country, and discredit the government by killing Chief Executive Editor and Managing Director and Editor, Investigation, of tehelka.com, Tarun Tejpal and Aniruddh Bahl respectively.

The ISI’s idea was that killing of Tarun Tejpal and Aniruddh Bahl would be attributed to persons who were exposed by the tehelka.com in the defence deal scandal. The killings would discredit the government, cause political instability and create disaffection towards the government, Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence), Mr S. Ramakrishnan said.

The ISI had engaged mafia elements of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi for killing the journalists.

The arrested persons were identified as “Modi” alias Bhupinder Tyagi, alias Avadhesh Tyagi, prime accused who had direct contact with an ISI official in Nepal, his accomplices Raj Kumar alias Kapoore, Dinesh Tyagi alias Titoo, Rakesh alias Lala, Anil and Ombir, all from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

The accused were arrested yesterday from Mukarba Chowk on the GT Karnal road in North-West Delhi while they were going to Bawana in Bhupinder’s Tata Safari vehicle.

The police seized two AK-47 rifles with four magazines and 200 rounds, two pistols with four magazines and 100 rounds, one bullet proof jacket, Tata Safari (DL 8CF 5815), photographs of Tarun Tejpal and Aniruddh Bahl, site plan of Soami Nagar, two mobile phones with three SIM cards and counterfeit currency of Rs 25,000 of Rs 500 denomination from their possession.

Addressing mediapersons today, Mr Ramakrishnan said “Modi” was the code name of Bhupinder Tyagi who is a gangster in Bihar. He had made his base in Nepal where he came in contact with an ISI official whose code name was “Jain”. He told Bhupinder that he would be given handsome money, arms and ammunition if he could carry out the ISI’s command.

Jain directed Bhupinder last month to eliminate Tarun Tejpal for which he would be given Rs 10 lakh and arms and ammunition. For executing the task Bhupinder was given a consignment of 10 AK-47 rifles, 11 pistols and large number of cartridges.

He contacted certain mafias of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh to execute the assignment and make a safe hideout.

Bhupinder came to Delhi in third week of April, and returned to Nepal after having a reconnaissance of the office and house of Tarun Tejpal. He came to the Capital again and brought a consignment of an AK-47 rifle, a pistol and cartridges which were kept in the house of Anil in Bawana in North-West Delhi. His accomplices also recently went to Nepal to bring another consignment of an AK-47 rifle, a pistol, cartridges, bulletproof jacket and fake Indian currency.

During interrogation Bhupinder disclosed that he had formed a special hit team to execute the assignment. The team included Naresh Yadav, Subhash Pandey, Vinod Pandey, Ramesh Rai, alias Sahi and Hare Ram Singh. All are presently staying in Beerganj in Nepal. They were supposed to come to Delhi with another consignment in stolen Tata Sumo and Mahindra Marshal, the Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) said.

The Bhupinder Tyagi team had a plan to intercept the vehicle of Tarun Tejpal and shoot him dead, he said.

Meanwhile, Tarun Tejpal, who has been provided Z-category security, appreciated the Delhi police for its prompt action in arresting the accused.