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Venkataswami hints he may reconsider decision

A day after he resigned as head of the commission probing into Tehelka allegations of corruption in defence deals, Justice K Venkataswami hinted that he might reconsider his decision.

While Justice Venkataswami was appointed to head the Tehelka probe, his appointment as chairman of the Authority Advance Ruling on Customs and Central Excise created a furore in Parliament, with the opposition questioning his propriety on accepting the same.

Upset by the attack, the judge resigned from both the posts on Saturday.

"I am conscious that the Tehelka probe is in its last stages. But I resigned after baseless allegations were levelled against me by the opposition."

Asked what he would do if the government asked him to continue with the probe, he said, "It depends on the reaction of the government and also that of the opposition. There are two types of persuasions; one, persuasion for the sake of persuasion; the other, a persuasion for a genuine cause," Justice Venkataswami said.

Considering that the opposition had also demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe, he said, "It depends mainly on the reaction from the opposition, which is responsible for the situation."

Attorney-General Soli Sorabjee was likely to meet him later in the day.

The Tehelka Scandal: The Full Coverage

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