The Morality of Exposing corruption

Readers of this column will recall the exposure of corruption in defence deals by Tehelka.com reporters posing as arms dealers. These people were then praised for their daring deeds. They exposed something, which everyone knew was going on but could not expose. This week, a national daily called Indian Express revealed that Tehelka men had used call girls to obtain information. This sparked a new debate as to whether using prostitutes for exposing corruption is justified or not. This in turn leads us into a larger debate regarding the morality of methods adopted for exposing the immoral and the corrupt. Immediately after the disclosure by Indian Express, the politicians who had been exposed by Tehelka.com sprang into action to nail Tarun Tejpal. The Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pramod, Mahajan, gave a statement that action would be taken against the wrong doers. It is noteworthy that a first information report has not yet been launched against those who were shown taking bribes for striking defence deals. George Fernandez, the defence Minister who had to resign due to his involvement in this episode claimed that the inquiry commission set-up to investigate corruption in defence deals should first examine the use of call girls to obtain information and punish these culprits first. Tarun Tejpal, the proprietor of Tehelka.com shot back by stating that there was nothing wrong in using women for getting information in national interest. After all, what Tehelka did what to expose corruption in arms deals? It is a subject of national importance and if he had to use women to lure officials into talking, there is nothing wrong in it.

Seen from one angle Tarun seems to be right. Suppose you see an official taking a bribe. You rush to the police and report the matter. Instead of registering your complaint, the police say that you have jumped a traffic signal. Therefore, you are taken to task first. All intelligence agencies use women to get information. Women not only obtain oral information but also photograph documents. They are also used for blackmailing officials and forcing them to do something, which they would not do otherwise. It maybe for intelligence agencies or for criminal groups. A national intelligence agency would claim that it is doing this in national interest. A terrorist group will say that it is using women to carry out its mission. The mission in turn might be religious, ideological, or simply territorial. A criminal organisation will do this to survive. Tehelka used women to lure. They said that apart from money and liquor, women too are at your disposal. None objected to the use of money and booze for exposing a wrong. Why are people getting so furious about the use of women? If Government officials are accepting women then they should be caught first for their misconduct. If a misdeed helps to expose a crime injurious for a nation and for a society then it should be ignored. The larger crime must be dealt with first. After all, law permits killing in self-defence. What Tehelka did was in nation's interest and therefore should b ignored or taken very leniently.

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