Tejinder Singh, accused by the Army Chief VK Singh of attempting to bribe him, had retaliated against the Army Chief. But he has been pulled up by the lower courts while the Delhi HC questioned maintainability of Tejinder Singh’s petition and now suddenly he withdrew his petition from the apex court

Moneylife Digital Team

New Delhi: In a surprise move, retired Lt Gen Tejinder Singh on Thursday withdrew his petition from the Supreme Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged misconduct of Army Chief General VK Singh. It may be recalled that Gen. VK Singh had accused Tejinder Singh of offering him bribe of Rs14 crore for purchase of Tatra trucks. Following the complaint by the Army Chief, the CBI initiated a probe into the matter.

Immediately thereafter, on 25th April, Tejinder Singh had approached the Supreme Court seeking a CBI inquiry on the alleged role of the Army Chief in the purported bugging of the defence minister's office and action against him for "misconduct". The government has already denied reports of bugging.

Appearing before a bench of justices P Sathasivam and J Chelameswar, senior counsel Rajiv Dhawan urged the court to grant permission for withdrawing the petition. "Your lordships please don't open the file at all. Kindly grant me permission to withdraw the petition and move the appropriate forum," Dhawan urged the court. Accordingly, the bench granted permission for withdrawal of the petition.

Tejinder Singh, under cloud following Gen. VK Singh's allegations, had also accused the Army Chief of professional misconduct by making "political statements" while holding the key post. He had alleged the Army Chief had stated that the Maoist problem in the country is the creation of the government when the Centre had sought help of the Army in Naxal-affected areas. Tejinder Singh had made the Army Chief a party in his petition. The Army Chief is seen an exceptionally upright officer. 

Tejinder Singh has also filed a criminal defamation case against Gen VK Singh and four other senior army officers in a trial court. He told the Delhi Metropolitan Magistrate that a press release issued by the army headquarters on 5th March levelled serious allegations against Lt Gen Tejinder Singh.

Alleging that the officers misused their official position, power and authority to level false charges against him, the retired army officer in his complaint has also named army vice chief Lt Gen SK Singh, Director General for Military Intelligence Lt Gen BS Thakur, Additional Director General of Public Information Major Gen SL Narsimhan and Directorate General of Public Information staff officer Lt Col Hitten Sawhney.

Earlier on Monday, the Delhi High Court questioned the maintainability of Tejinder Singh's petition, which seeks withdrawal of an alleged defamatory press release accusing him of offering a bribe to the Army Chief to clear a defence deal. The high court also asked the retired army officer to prove that the right to reputation is a fundamental right.

"You show and satisfy me that right to reputation is a fundamental right. Do not argue in the air and come prepared with the case laws," justice Mukta Gupta said.

The matter is also being investigated by the CBI, which recorded General VK Singh's statement last month and questioned Lieutenant General Tejinder Singh last week.