PTI
 
New Delhi, Dec 27: The CBI on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against three persons, including former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitly, for allegedly taking a bribe from reporters of Tehelka portal posing as representatives of a fictitious UK-based arms firm to influence then defence minister George Fernandes.

The chargesheet was filed in the CBI court here against Jaitly, Major General (retired) S P Murugai and Samata Party leader Gopal Pacherwal under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and section nine of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI made the fourth accused - Surender Kumar Surekha, an industralist from Kanpur - turn approver in the case. The case was registered against all the four on December six, 2004.

During its investigation, the CBI alleged that the reporters of the portal had sought assistance from Jaitly through Murugai and Surekha to obtain orders for equipment from the defence ministry.

In this connection, Rs 2 lakh was allegedly handed over to Pacherwal at the instance of Jaitly during a meeting at the then defence minister's (George Fernandes) official residence, the CBI said in the chargesheet, its seventh filed in connection with the Tehelka case.