On Army Chief’s Bribe Row
Army Chief General V.K. Singh’s has revealed that he was directly approached with an offer of a Rs. 14 crore bribe to clear the acquisition of sub-standard vehicles. It appears from the further updates that the offer was made by Lt General (retd) Tejinder Singh and bribe offer was for the Tatra trucks deal.
But, there are many complications in this allegation. First and foremost, it is not an act which happened recently, but more than a year ago. Defence Minister was also informed that time itself on this bribe offer. As per Defense Minister A.K Antony, an inquiry into this case was not initiated at that time due to the dis-interest of General Singh. Both General V.K. Singh and Defense Minister A.K Antony were known for their clean images and their stand against corruption; and that further complicates the matter.
Army and Defense Ministry are in news recently for wrong reasons these days, it was on Date of Birth case last month. But this Bribe-offer has something more to think and discuss, as there are many questions which are left un-answered:
- Why didn’t the Army Chief give a written complaint about the bribe offer to Defense Minister?
- Why did the Army Chief showed no interest to proceed with the inquiry even after Defense Minister A.K Antony asked him to do? And then why V.K. Singh comes up with the same allegation after one year before the media?
- Why did Defense Minister not initiate an inquiry on this matter, even though there was no written complaint? Why the Defense Ministry didn’t give enough importance to a bribe allegation by the Army Chief?
- What is the purpose of General V.K Singh to come up with this allegation now?
- Are there lobbyists and bribe-inducers in the Army?
- Tejinder Singh has rejected all allegations and filed a criminal defamation case against Army Chief V.K. Singh and others in a Delhi court; then who offered whom the bribe?
- Who is the ‘sutradhar’ of the play, as quoted in General’s words?