Defamation case against army chief: Tejinder Singh testifies

Former Lt Gen Tejinder Singh on Tuesday deposed before a Delhi court, supporting his complaint for initiating criminal defamation against Army Chief General V K Singh and four others.

Recording his statements before Metropolitan Magistrate Sudesh Kumar, who had earlier asked Tejinder Singh to record pre-summoning evidence to support his complaint, the former Lieutenant Gen said the allegations levelled against him by the Army Headquarters were absolutely false.

Tejinder Singh told the court that between March 3  and 5, this year, a number of media reports pointed fingers towards Army Chief Gen V K Singh for having allegedly ordered "unlawful monitoring" of mobiles, particularly in the South Block area in New Delhi.

He said in order to divert the public attention from this news, which pointed fingers at senior functionaries in the Army Headquarters, including Gen V K Singh, the media cell of the Army Headquarters issued a press release on March 5.

Tejinder Singh said the press release, taking his name, laid four allegations against him which were all "false". He said in the press release, it was alleged that he had offered bribe on behalf of Tatra and Vectra Ltd, which supplies vehicles to BEML.

"The allegation was that I had offered bribe on behalf of Tatra and Vectra Ltd, which supplies vehicles to BEML. This allegation is absolutely false, ill-founded and concocted and I deny the same," Tejinder Singh said.