Accuses them of criminal conspiracy to defame him
Lieutenant General (retd.) Tejinder Singh on Tuesday filed a complaint in the Patiala House District Courts here, accusing Army Chief General V.K. Singh, and four senior Army officers of criminal conspiracy to defame him.
Lt. Gen. Tejinder Singh accused his former colleagues of issuing a press release on March 5 that alleged he was involved in spreading stories to the news media about mobile phones of top Defence Ministry officials being intercepted by the Army.
However, the Army Chief, in response to a legal notice issued by Lt. Gen. Tejinder Singh's lawyer, said the Army had evidence to back the contents of the release and would produce it in court, if called for.
The other officers named by Lt. Gen. Tejinder Singh are Vice-Chief of the Army Staff Lt. Gen. S.K. Singh, Director General of Military Intelligence Lt. Gen. B.S. Thakur; Additional Director-General of Public Information in the Army Headquarters Maj. Gen. S. L. Narasimhan and officer in the Public Information Department Lt. Col. Hitten Sawhney.
The complaint described the release as containing “ex-facie defamatory statements…which are entirely baseless, false and concocted.” The retired officer said the release was issued “unauthorised, at the behest, instructions, and/or orders of the Accused No:1 [the Army Chief],” despite the Defence Ministry having issued an official statement on March 2, clearing the Army of any role in the alleged bugging of the Defence Minister's office.
The complaint alleged that the release was issued without the Ministry's Directorate of Public Relations having been approached or the approval of the Additional Director-General (Media and Communication) having been obtained, a standard procedure.
The complaint filed under Sections 500 (defamation) and 211 (false charge of offence made with intent to injure), read with 120B (criminal conspiracy), of the Indian Penal Code, sought the summoning of all five officers to be tried for these said offences.
Only the first paragraph of the release was sufficient to clear the Army's name in the electronic interception allegation, Lt. Gen. Tejinder Singh said, and the second paragraph, which named him as the source of the allegation, was included “at the behest of Accused No.1 in complicity with [the] other accused persons, with the … outright malicious intention to malign and smear the personal and public image, character, reputation and honour of the complainant.”
Further, he alleged that the Army Chief had “implanted, and is responsible for the contents” of, the first paragraph of a blog published on an English newspaper's website on February 1, 2012, “making [a] false allegation of corruption against the complainant.”
The complaint follows legal notices sent on behalf of the retired officer on March 12 to the five senior Army men. In response to the legal notice, the reply filed on behalf of Gen. V. K. Singh delved into the March 5 release that stated that “disciplinary and administrative action was in the pipeline.” This “action” was not against Lt. Gen. Tejinder Singh, but was being taken against “some other disgruntled serving officers in the Military Intelligence.”
Keywords: V.K. Singh bribe charge, defence purchases, Ministry of Defence, A.K. Antony, CBI probe, Tejinder Singh
The General can possibly counter all these points effectively if the alleged taped evidence can be verified. However I am surprised that Tejender Singh's lawyers sought to rely entirely on Section 500 etc even though the alleged 1 Feb 2012 blog publication is on the website of a newspaper. Publishing through press releases and through the internet are totally different matters as the internet attracts IT Act Section 66 A etc according to which it is a crime if a user is "causing annoyance or inconvenience" through internet, placing on the internet information that is "grossly offensive or has menacing character". Based on IT Act Section 66 etc, policing and harassment have been directed at many victims, for example the case of Amit Jadhav Pune for internet article on Ajit Pawar, harassment of GIIS Principal Singapore for whistleblowing on school irregularities, harassment of lecturer Sivasanmugam of Jamal Mohamed College in the south for online criticism and many others. This is by far the more serious danger in exposing corruption.
So the last bastion which was perceived to be immune to corruption has now fallen.
I feel sorry for Gen Singh, I can sense that he felt suffocated in a system where
corruption was institutionalized. Tejinder should be investigated thoroughly, I hope
all those power centres behind him leave him to fight his own battle.
Why not the capital punishment for corrupt people as these people kill generations than a murderer?
Now whom we (Public) will believe A.K Antony or V.K.Singh, because Singh had already informed Antony, he didn't take any action. now Antony is telling Singh didn't take action. this makes public an Ass. this is 18 months old issue. Antony is thinking that because of his good political image he can make others fool or corrupters. Antony cannnot escape from this serious issue. both persons are equally responsible in not takeing action against the offer of 14 crores purchase of defective vehicles. CBI has to take enqiury against Defence Minister and Army chief.
Mr. A K Anthony is a very clean politician. Well, the charges are
serious; should be pursued to logical end if they serve to clean the
rot. Army offices are as corrupt as their civilian colleagues, however,
its lack of opportunity and still army orders and army rules
(dictatorial in nature)that prevent them from indulging in corrupt
practices. They have the Indian psyche and mindset; its just they don
the olive green uniforms. How can you eliminate corruption in a country/society where money (Lakshmi Pooja) worship is done as for most
Indians money is God and how can you call God a bad practice. Good luck
Mr. Anna Hazaare.
“Because of the false, unfounded and libellous statement and illegal act in past and present by the accused persons not only the complainant’s reputation and honour has been lowered/ harmed but he is being held up to ridicule in his business, fraternity, acquaintances and family alike, leading others to avoid and shun him.
“And they have caused immense incalculable loss and damage to the reputation of the complainant and loss of business opportunities in present and in future,” Mr. Tejinder Singh said in his petition filed in a Magistrate’s court through counsel Anil K. Aggarwal and S.M. Pandey.
Lt Gen Tejinder Singh (retd), whoever or whatever he is, this man is still worried about his own image and reputation. Least he realizes that what damage he has caused to such a fine institution and he has no remorse to this fact nor is he ashamed, he cares more about his own worth than the reputation of the organization which blindly trusted him and made him a Lt Gen in his time!!
Whatever is going in the Army is shameful. Army and Supreme court
are the most revered organisation in India. Indians respect armed
forces and Supreme court more than Parliament. Common man is more
sensitive to defense of nation matter than corruption and do not
want to compromise on this issue. Most debatable issue should be modernization of armed forces and not the DOB and so called bribe
issue. Bribe issue should have been dealt by AK Antony with iron
hand. However he did not act even 1 billion people general VKsing refereed the matter. When executive fail to perform its duty then
other organ of system may takeover share in power of executive that
happen in many cases.The SC is equally active with Government and
this is not fault of its as executive are inactive. If government
not become active, army will have no option but to takeover the
power. Be active and save democracy.
Retired Lt Gen Tejinder Singh claims loss of business opportunities in
present and in future due to the Army Chief's allegation. BTW what
business Tejender Singh is engaged in?
Now Why does the Defence Minister 'ask' the Army chief to pursue it further. He himself could have initiated an inquiry into the matter, after all he is the Defence Minister. This is just another excuse to hide the rot that the 'System' has developed due to corrupt politicians.
All these things are happening and possible because India is a vibrant democracy. The only problem is common man does not know who is speaking truth.
Since the Army Chief did not reveal his name, nor did this newspaper, shouldnt Lt Gen Tejinder Singh be suing the Minister of Defence AK Antony and not the Army Chief? But of course, the minister is protected by Parliamentary privilege!
Look at the whole issue. V.K Singh said a) he was offered bribe; b) he said he had complained to A K Anthony. He never revealed the name of the person who offered him the bribe to the media. He did not reveal the name of the company which was trying to sell the sub standard product to the media. A K Anthony accepted that he had received a complaint from V K Singh. It was for Anthony to initiate action against the accused. Not V K Singh. Please note Anthony revealed the name of Tejinder Singh.
See Tejinder's statements.
a) He said he had met VK Singh on personal work. Next he says he never had anything to do with him personally and he had only a professional relationship
b) It is Tejinder who revealed the name of Tatra to the media. Till them no one knew the company.
He is asking why no action for 1.5 yrs. Its a question for Anthony. Because of this only VK Singh is now taking action.
Gen. V K Singh must be believed.
I had high regard for this guy,Not any more,first he lied his age to get in to army school,when he became eligible for retirement he tried twist his age.Now he is claiming that some one offered him 14 crores rupees as bribe but he does not want to complain in writing.Some thing is fishy about this.These are the people who lead our nation; protect our nation.I think the ministry should conduct a thorough backgroud check(CBI) before appointment including cabinet ministers.
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