New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday chargesheeted Lieutenant General (retired) Tejinder Singh for alleged irregularities in the import of heavy-duty Tatra trucks for the Indian Army. Singh had been implicated in Tatra Truck scam by former Army Chief and Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh.
Tejinder Singh has been chargesheeted under Section 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act for having allegedly offered the bribe on behalf of Tatra trucks suppliers who provided the all terrain vehicles to the Indian Army.
The CBI filed the chargesheet before the Patiala House court in the national capital in the alleged offer of bribe on behalf of Vectra group owner Ravi Rishi.
Sources in the investigating agency said that the chargesheet was filed on the basis of circumstantial evidence which includes Tejinder Singh's meeting with the then Army Chief and putting on hold the order for supply of trucks from Tatra.
Expressing surprise over the move, Tejinder Singh said last year there were dozens of media reports which stated that no evidence was found in the case and that it was heading for a closure.
These media reports were obviously based from information from the CBI, he claimed.
"My interaction with the agency clearly indicated that there was no credible evidence found.
"Now with the change of government, there seems to be a change of heart in the probe agency and therefore the filing of chargesheet is abuse of power by the people concerned and politically motivated," Tejinder Singh said.
In March 2012, VK Singh had alleged that Tejinder Singh had offered him Rs 14 crore for clearing a tranche of "sub-standard" Tatra trucks for the Army. He alleged that Tejinder Singh met him on September 22, 2010, and offered him the money on behalf of Ravi Rishi.
An FIR was filed in this regard in October 2012.
The CBI during its probe also recorded the statement of the then Defence Minister AK Antony who corroborated that the Army Chief had come to his office and informed him that Tejinder Singh had made a bribe offer.
As a corroborative evidence in its chargesheet, the CBI has mentioned the orders of the then Army Chief to his staff that Tejinder Singh should not be given any appointment in future, the sources said.
The recording which purportedly contained conversation between the VK Singh and Tejinder Singh was of no help as the compact disc sent to the CBI by VK Singh had no voice recorded on it.
(With additional information from PTI)
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