New Delhi, March 13 :    New Delhi, March 13:  The Tehelka expose has suddenly bared the porosity of the military establishment and its vulnerability to lucre and sleaze. Three major generals have been entrapped, all going overboard to explain to an unknown arms dealer - West End International - how it can strike deals. The defence ministry was tightlipped tonight. A semi-official statement from South Block insisted that the tapes had been obtained and were being scrutinised to find out their veracity. There are, however, indications that the defence ministry will conduct its own inquiry, especially because those involved include several key serving officials. Major General M.S. Ahluwalia of the Directorate General of Quality Assurance gives strong indications that the system is steeped in deep-rooted corruption. No one person can operate on his own to ensure the smooth signing of defence deals. The entire apparatus works with its different cogs and everybody has to be satisfied if the deals have to go through. He insists that without Blue Label - one of the best Scotch brands - he does not feel inspired enough to function. He takes Rs 50,000 after an initial show of reluctance. S.P. Murgai, a retired major general who was additional director general in quality assurance when Tehelka met him, gives several tips on how West End International should go about getting into the thick of defence procurement. He accepts Rs 20,000 gladly as honourarium for teaching West End the ropes. Major General P.S.K. Choudary is painted as a key man by some of his colleagues named in the transcript. He is additional director general in the weapons and equipment wing and appears to have enormous powers in getting things done. Among other advisers that Tehelka's undercover reports pick up during their hunt for sources within the defence establishment is Major General Satnam Singh, a key figure because his designation is director general (operations) of Kargil. The murkiness of these men can be gauged from the excerpts from the transcript. Tehelka claims: 'Major General Murgai (Retd) went to Major General Choudary's office and invited him over for dinner to meet a West End representative. Choudary, being under surveillance, was reluctant to come to a five-star hotel. At the dinner in Murgai's house, the ice with Choudary was broken. Initially, as in later meetings, Choudary kept asking for West End's product range so that he could provide a helping hand.... He also accepted a gold chain as a small gift and promised to have detailed meeting about a week later.' The major general later accepted a cash incentive of Rs 1 lakh. Not just these major generals, their subordinates too play roles in defence transactions. Brig Anil Sehgal, a director in the directorate general of ordnance and supply, provides the starting point for West End's entry into the murky world of defence deals. He drops the names within the military establishment which the Tehelka reporters follow up. Brigadier Iqbal Singh, prospective procurement officer, also passes on information.