{{short description|Indian journalist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}} thumb|Samuel in 2013 '''Mathew Samuel''' is a former managing editor of the Indian news magazine ''Tehelka''. He is one of the members of the magazine, and as a special correspondent there, he instigated Tehelka's biggest corruption investigation, Operation West End. This sting operation led to the resignation of four senior ministers of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and nearly brought down the BJP-led national government in 2001. The top politicians and officials caught in the sting were later convicted by the court of law. His YouTube channel was banned in India as on 9th May 2025.

==Career== Mathew Samuel was born in a Christian family in Pathanapuram, Kerala. He attended St. Stephens College Pathanapuram, was active in politics, and was the college union secretary. He worked in Delhi for ''Mangalam'' magazine and ''Mid-Day'' newspaper for a short period. He later joined ''Tehelka'' as a staff reporter,<ref>{{cite web|title=Tehelka Sting Operator Comes Clean! |url=http://www.christianmessenger.in/tehelka-sting-operator-comes-clean/ |publisher=The Christian Messenger News Desk}}</ref> and became managing editor in 2014. He has also worked in Delhi for the publication ''India Today'', and for television channels NewsX, Live India and India TV. He is based in New Delhi. He resigned from Tehelka in February 2016 to start his own news venture, Narada News.

==Operation West End== {{main|Operation West End}} The sting was the brainchild of Mathew Samuel. He got the beginning of the story on a train journey in which one of his co-passengers turned out to be a supplier for Defence Canteens. The sting operation lasted for about eight months and revealed involvement of public figures in corruption. Samuel met with approximately 60 people, including arms dealers, and exposed corruption at high levels of power.<ref name=outlook>{{cite web|title=After Eleven Years, It Stings To Say This...|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?280773|publisher=Out Look}}</ref><ref name=Trehan/><ref>{{cite book|last=Tully|first=Sir Mark|title=India In Slow Motion|year=2003|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=9780670885589}}</ref> The public figures involved were George Fernandes (Defence Minister),<ref>{{cite web|last=KAUR|first=NAUNIDHI|title=Fernandes under fire|url=http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1911/19110540.htm}}</ref> Bangaru Laxman (BJP president), Jaya Jaitly (president of the Samatha Party), R. K. Jain (treasurer of Samatha Party),<ref>{{cite web|title=R K Jain arrested five years after Tehelka expose|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=366868|publisher=Outlook|access-date=20 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820032811/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=366868|archive-date=20 August 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> R K Sharma (treasurer of RSS), General Manjith Singh Aluvalia,<ref>{{cite news|title=The Sting That Has India Writhing| date=16 March 2001 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/16/world/the-sting-that-has-india-writhing.html?pagewanted=1|publisher=The New York Times. | last1=Dugger | first1=Celia W. }}</ref> Major General P. S. K. Chowdhary,<ref>{{cite web|title=Major General shown the door in Tehelka case |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Major-General-shown-the-door-in-Tehelka-case/articleshow/1038674.cms |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629123951/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-03-02/india/27857195_1_tehelka-portal-corruption-in-defence-deals-tapes |url-status=live |work=The Times of India |date=2 March 2005 |archive-date=2013-06-29 }}</ref> General R. K. Murge, General Satnam Singh,<ref name=toi_04>{{cite web|title=Tehelka case: Army finds 3 officers guilty |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-05-19/india/28336056_1_court-martial-proceedings-tehelka-case-brig-iqbal-singh|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629123403/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-05-19/india/28336056_1_court-martial-proceedings-tehelka-case-brig-iqbal-singh|url-status=dead|work=The Times of India |archive-date=2013-06-29}}</ref> Brigadier Iqbal Singh,<ref name=toi_04/> Colonel Anil Saigal, H. C. Panth, P. Sasi, and Surender Kumar Surekha, a Kanpur-based businessman.

On July 30, 2020, Special CBI Judge Virender Bhat sentenced former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitley, her former party colleague Gopal Pacherwal and Major General (rtd) S.P. Murgai to a 4-year jail term.

There were 105 videotapes.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} Samuel alone shot 99 tapes; the rest were shot with his colleague.<ref name=Trehan>{{cite book|last=Trehan|first=Madhu|title=Tehelka as metaphor : prism me a lie, tell me a truth|year=2009|publisher=Roli Books|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788174365804}}</ref>

==Narada sting operations== {{main|Narada sting operation}}

Mathew Samuel is also credited for conducting the Narada sting operation and publishing it on the new website naradanews.com.

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{cite news|title=Journalist refuses to depose in arms deal case|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/journalist-refuses-to-depose-in-arms-deal-case/article3419136.ece|accessdate=19 April 2013|newspaper=The Hindu|date=14 May 2012}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110912113604/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-07-28/india/27193432_1_cbi-files-case-home-ministry-tehelka-reporters CBI file case against tehelka scribe under OSA] *[http://www.rediff.co.in/news/2001/mar/15def2.htm police protection for tehelka reporter in Kerala] *[http://www.newslaundry.com/2012/06/nl-interviews-mathew-samuel/ Interview] * [http://www.tehelka.com/tehelka-editorial/ Tehelka editorial] * {{cite news|title=X Files: Tmc Leaders Exposed By Narada News, Caught Accepting Bribes On Camera|url=http://naradanews.com/2016/03/x-files-tmc-leaders-exposed-by-narada-news-caught-accepting-bribes-on-camera/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317051812/http://naradanews.com/2016/03/x-files-tmc-leaders-exposed-by-narada-news-caught-accepting-bribes-on-camera/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=17 March 2016|date=14 March 2016}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samuel, Mathew}} Category:Journalists from Kerala Category:Living people Category:1971 births Category:People from Kollam district Category:Indian editors Category:Indian publishers (people)