All Taruns are not my relatives: Kapil Sibal

Do you have shares in Anant Media?
When I had given the cheque, it was a donation. It has nothing to do with application for shares. In 2003, when Tehelka was persecuted by the BJP and had lost everything the messenger (Tarun Tejpal) was being targeted. At that time he approached several persons in the country including me. Infact, I did not know him, he asked me for money to run a paper and I gave him a donation of five lakhs. I never applied for shares. I have never got any shares. There are no shares in my name. Mine was a donation of five lakhs and that’s a fact. I was completely protecting freedom of speech when the BJP was targeting him.

You are a Union minister, and if your name crops up in any of the official document, why are you not taking legal action against them?
Because I don’t have any shares. 

But that is what you are saying, not the documents.
They are not the official document, but his document. Please understand there is a law, I have to apply for shares. I am not concerned with the document he has filed.  I have a nephew called Tarun Sibal so are all the Tarun in this country are related to me? You have to file an application for allotment of shares, then the shares are allotted to you. Then the shares certificate is issued to you. Then you have to file a return and state this is what you have. I have done none of that.
Somebody has mentioned something, how am I concerned about it. I told you I had given a donation of five lakhs that is how I am a founder member of Tehelka and there is nothing wrong with that.

Can anyone do so without your consent?
They cannot, but they have done it but I have not got the shares. Also, suppose I have shares in Tata but some official in Tata does something, am I responsible for that? Whatever has happened the law must take its course. If a person is guilty he should be punished if he is not guilty he should not be punished. I am not going to give judgments like other leaders it is not my job and it sends wrong signal.

Tarun Tejpal’s arrest has been delayed for almost a week. Do you think since its a BJP-ruled state, the BJP is doing it intentionally to divert the media’s attention from the Narendra Modi and Amit Shah issue?
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