Army Chief refused to pursue bribe case: Antony
New Delhi: Defending himself a day after Army Chief General VK Singh’s explosive remarks that he was offered Rs 14 crore bribe to clear a defence purchase led to a huge row, Defence Minister on Tuesday said strictest action would be taken against the guilty.
Making a statement in Rajya Sabha, Antony said that the Army Chief had informed him about the incident more than a year back and that he had asked Gen Singh to take action.
The Army Chief had named Lt General (Retired) Tejinder Singh as the man who had approached him with the offer of bribe, Antony said. However, “the Army Chief told me at that time that he didn’t want to pursue it”, Antony informed the House. Questioning Gen Singh’s stand that he had reported the matter to the Defence Minister for further action, Antony asked “he could have given a written complaint to me or to the department”. “But he didn’t do it,” the minister said, adding “I must get a written complaint”.
Both the Congress and the BJP said yesterday that General Singh should have filed a police case against the retired officer who approached him with the kickback. But the BJP said today that the minister cannot pass the buck and that it is the government's job to distinguish between frivolous and substantive charges.