The appellants (Tejpal and Bahal) had also challenged a September 1, 2023, order of the single judge bench which had dismissed their review of the July 2023 order.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora noted the submissions of the senior counsels appearing for Tejpal and Bahal who said that the “appellants are ready and willing to deposit Rs 10 lakh each and publish an unconditional apology” in a national English daily within two weeks “specifically stating” Ahluwalia had “neither asked for nor accepted any bribe”.

The bench listed the matter for hearing on April 16.

The bench also stayed the proceedings in the petition Ahluwalia has filed seeking execution of the decree passed in his favour with respect to the Rs 2 crore amount.

The bench also noted the submission of Ahluwalia’s counsel Chetan Anand that this appeal is not maintainable as it only challenges the judgment and not the decree which had been prepared prior to filing of the present appeal. Anand had argued that a mere apology is not enough since his client, an officer, had lived with “stigma for nearly 22 years”.

In its July 21, 2023 order, the single judge bench said the Rs 2 crore amount shall be paid by Tehelka.com, its owner M/s Buffalo Communications, its proprietor Tejpal, and reporters Bahal and Mathew Samuel.

The court however, found Ahluwalia had not been able to prove any act of defamation on the part of Zee Telefilms Ltd and its officials, who telecast the story after an arrangement with news portal. Speaking to The Indian Express, Ahluwalia said, “I won the case 3 or 4 months back. They (appellants) have admitted defamation did take place.”