June 25: Journalists of Shiv Sena mouthpiece Dopahar ka Saamna are preparing for a long battle following the defamation suit filed against the publication by an aide of Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav.

In its report on May 27 the publication had alleged that the beleaguered Chief Minister had bought 28 flats in Navi Mumbai and two farm houses in Lonavla with funds from the fodder scam.

The Saamna scribes believe in the accuracy of their report. Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, who as the titular editor of the newspaper has been made a co-accused in the suit, declared on Tuesday that he was unaware of the contents of the report. He also promised to clarify details of the report from editor-in-charge Sanjay Nirupam, Sena MP, and publish an apology if the story was found untrue.

Nirupam is currently in New Delhi and could not be contacted. However, senior journalists of Dopahar... who believe in the authenticity of the story say it was obtained from sources in the Central Bureau of Investigations. ``Prem Shukla, who is our chief reporter, obtained the information from sources in the CBI and the Income-Tax department who were conducting a joint investigation into Yadav's assets,'' a senior editor of the newspaper told Express Newsline.

The journalist who insisted that Thackeray did not involve himself with the day-to-day management of the newspaper informed that deputy editor, Sanjay Nirupam, always kept himself informed about every single article appearing in the newspaper. ``Nirupam, who was in Mumbai when the story was published, had discussed the story with Prem Shukla,'' the Saamna journalist said. According to him, the reporter had tracked the movements of the investigating team which questioned people living in the vicinity of the houses allegedly purchased by Yadav.

The Saamna journalist, however, pointed out that the whole matter is being investigated afresh.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.