A day after Gen. V.K. Singh retired as the Chief of Army, public sector BEML on Friday slapped a legal notice on him demanding an apology for his “false and motivated” allegations against it on the Tatra truck issue.
“Legal notice has been issued today. If he does not apologise, we may file a defamation suit against Gen. V.K. Singh,” BEML chairman and managing director V.R.S. Natarajan told reporters here.
Gen Singh had alleged that he was offered a `14-crore bribe by a former officer to clear supply of a tranche of 600 Tatra trucks into which the CBI is investigating.
“The former Army Chief has made some allegations against BEML. As the CEO of the company, I deny them as absolutely false, motivated, damaging and defamatory,” Mr Natarajan said.
The CBI has registered a preliminary inquiry against retired Lt. Gen. Tejinder Singh on a complaint filed by Gen. Singh in which he has alleged that the retired Army officer had offered him the bribe for clearing a “sub-standard” consignment of Tatra trucks.
Mr Natarajan defended the delay in initiating the process for defamation against Gen. Singh saying the company had to go through the process of seeking legal advice and then placing it before the board for approval.
BEML has not received a single letter that the Tatra vehicles is sub-standard, obsolete or over-priced, Mr Natarajan said. Taking objection to Gen. Singh’s allegations, he said, “It was wilfully made to damage BEML. The confidence built up in BEML has been demolished at one go.”
He also had a dig at Gen. Singh for his claims that the Tatra trucks were available for `28 lakhs in the Czech Republic where the vehicles are manufactured. “I don’t know from where he got these figures,” Mr Natarajan said.
He rejected suggestions from a reporter that the bribe offer to get clearance for purchase of the trucks could not have happened without the BEML chief’s knowledge.
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Army ex-chief: won’t apologise
Age Correspondent
New Delhi, June 1
Former Army Chief Gen. V.K. Singh (Retd) on Friday ruled out any apology regarding his previous statements on the Tatra truck issue and acquisitions from defence PSU BEML, saying he had only made factual statements and that there was nothing to apologise for. He was speaking to a TV channel in the wake of the statements by BEML chief V.R.S. Natarajan in Bengaluru on Friday. Gen. V.K. Singh retired from service Thursday.
“Apology for what, I would like to ask (Mr) Natarajan that. I have not alleged anything, I have just stated some facts... (Mr) Natarajan has been there for more than 12 years with the BEML. He should be knowing how things are run in BEML,” he said.
“The (Tatra) issue is with the CBI, which is investigating. I am quite sure that he (Mr Natarajan) is motivated to file all kinds of things against me. What are the facts are known to him and now to the CBI. Let us proceed with the investigation.”