I was offered a bribe of Rs. 14 crore, says Army Chief

[bengalraider]

While on the subject of arms dealers and their nefariousness read the article linked below from Open Magazine!
Blondes, land rovers and loads of moolah! damn i want to be an arms dealer now

The Men Who Do Not Exist | OPEN Magazine

 

[aggi74]

After four months.........?

Actually after 1 1/2 years

 

[Parthy]

Problems with Tatra Trucks

Even as Army chief General V K Singh's claim about a bribery offer led to a national uproar, there has been a series of complaints of problems with Tatra trucks from various agencies that use them.

TOI is in possession of five secret letters in which the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), ordinance depots, Indian Air Force and Border Roads Organisation have rattled off a litany of defects found in Tatra trucks purchased recently. BEML has been grappling to fix the problems in the trucks, highly placed sources said.

In the last week of March, Gen Singh had claimed that he was offered a bribe of Rs14 crore to clear the supply of 600 sub-standard Tatra trucks. The same week, on March 28, the SFC headquarters wrote to BEML about major defects in eight Tatra trucks purchased from BEML's Bangalore unit. SFC is the custodian of all nuclear capable strategic weapons such as Agni missiles.

In the letter, the SFC said the trucks had nagging problems relating to cabin lifting pump. Sources said that in some trucks, the cabin lifting was not stable, making the fleet unusable for crucial tasks like radar monitoring. "If the truck is unstable, then the radar monitoring goes for a toss, because for monitoring, the vehicle has to be stabilized. In these trucks, the cabin lifting is erratic," said an Army source.

The SFC also complained about the poor quality of parts in the truck. In one truck, the steering wheel came off during the test drive while the entire body of some trucks had dents all over and greasing of the fleet was also not done. The fleet was earmarked for SFC operations and correction of the defects is underway.

Similarly, the IAF also wrote to BEML about technical defects in Tatra trucks. On March 26, the IAF station in Bhaisiana, Bhatinda complained about faults with hand brakes and ignition-starter malfunction in three trucks which are under guarantee period. The IAF also wrote about problems like hard steering, wheel wobbling at 50 km/hr speed and engine knocking and problems with the clutch.

In another letter, the DG, BRO, that purchased 50 trucks recently pointed to repeated engine failure and engine oil leaks. BEML was informed about the engine failure instances reported in two places -- Manali in Himachal Pradesh and Gauchar in Uttarakhand.

The latest complaint, on April 16, was made by the central ordinance depot (COD) Dehu Road, where the commandant stopped payment after finding that an engine had stalled. Along with the letter, BEML was also sent photographs of numerous damaged spare parts received recently and was asked for speedy replacement.



Complaints pile up against Tatra trucks - The Times of India

 

[Kunal Biswas]

 

[Kunal Biswas]

 

[Bhadra]

Very Interesting News Piece That Links Up many things

Bangalore: PM's close aide TKA Nair caught in land row - IBN South - IBN Bangalore - ibnlive

Bangalore: PM's close aide TKA Nair caught in land row


Bangalore: One of the close advisors of the Prime Minister, TKA Nair was caught in a land row on Sunday. A story that appeared in the Hindu newspaper on Sunday morning claimed that the BEML Employees' Co-operative Society allotted plots to TKA Nair's niece and friend in south Bangalore at throwaway prices.

KS Periyaswamy, a stakeholder, claims that the Cooperative Society was put under pressure by BEML Chief VRS Natrajan to make these allotments.

Periyaswamy even wrote to the PMO and the President alleging that the allotments were made to ensure silence of the PMO on the Tatra Scam. Nair's niece and family friends later returned the plots in December 2010.

Periyaswamy said, "TKA Nair is one of the most corrupt officers in the country. He works in tandem with many political leaders and he is working in the PMO. I wrote to the President and the PM saying that Natarajan is involved in many scams and the nexus between Natarajan and Nair... they have worked on nearly 6000 files. For allotment of BEML sites, they should work in BEML for 5 years, be a resident of Karnataka for 10 years. So the land was allotted to complete strangers like Nair's people. Even if they have withdrawn their allotments, they are still guilty. CBI is made to sleep over all these charges because of Nair's influence. AK Antony is a helpless person. There are 40 other MoD officials who have plots thanks to Natarajan, this is a big scam. They are all selling the nation."

TKA Nair has issued a denial, saying, "To the best of my knowledge no irregularity or illegality was involved in the allotments. I have requested the PMO to obtain all the relevant facts of this matter through the Department of Defence Production."

Now the missing PMO link with sordid VK Singh humiliation drama is emerging. Who leaked the letter ??

 

[Bhadra]

The Hindu : News / National : Niece, friend of Adviser to Manmohan got land largesse from BEML co-op.

The Indian Defense if for grabs and that too from insiders, right from the President (Puna) to PM's advisors, to retardde Tajinder to BEML Chief. What a state of affiars. One DEO in Srinagar sells 2500 acres of land. another in Pune and yet another in Bangalore !

In Defense, every thing from money to land is for grab.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

 

[Kunal Biswas]

 

[Bhadra]

Would like to have Gen VK Singh in our team: Anna Hazare
Published: Sunday, May 13, 2012, 16:58 IST | Updated: Sunday, May 13, 2012, 16:59 IST
Place: Chandrapur | Agency: PTI

Would like to have Gen VK Singh in our team: Anna Hazare - India - DNA



Anna Hazare has expressed that he would welcome like-minded people like General VK Singh after his retirement as army chief to be a part of his team to fight corruption.

Hazare said he would be happy to have General Singh as a part of this team, if the Army Chief was interested in joining it.

"I am personally not inclined to ask or request anyone to join our agitation against corruption but we have fought two wars - one against Pakistan and the other against Bangladesh during my service in the Army, now we have to fight the enemy within us", he said.

"And we need like minded people in our team and if interested, General VK Singh is welcome to join us after his retirement. It would be his choice", Anna told reporters last evening when they asked him whether he would like to invite General Singh to join his team.

"Anna's invite to General VK is most appropriate. Imagine if ex-servicemen join Anna they can become a formidable voice against corruption", Team Anna member Kiran Bedi tweeted today.

Last month, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal while extending support to Gen Singh had said that they were sure that the Army Chief will take a decision on what he will do after retirement on May 31.

The anti-corruption crusader is currently touring Maharashtra to campaign for a strong Lokayukta Act in the state.

He also said that the government was unwilling to bring the Right to Information (RTI) Act into force, but had budged after several years of agitation and implemented it in Maharashtra in 2002, and it was later brought into force throughout the country.

 

[shubhamsaikia]

The first petitioner Captain Dharampal Kukrety and Petitioner 2 Naik Bhanwar Singh were both attached at the relevant time to 2 Rajput Regiment but since the order to try them before a General Court Martial both of them are attached to 237 Engineer Regiment of 25 Infantry Division which is a part of the 16th Corps of the Indian Army. Petitioner 1 was promoted as Acting Major but because of the direction to try him before a Court Martial he has been reverted to the substantive rank of Captain. Petitioner 2 holds the substantive rank of Naik. In the year 1978 one Lt. Col. S.N. Verma was the Commanding Officer of the 2 Rajput Regiment and the 1st petitioner was directly under him being second in command. One Major V.K. Singh belonging to the 2 Rajput Regiment was a Company Commander under Lt. Col. Verma. He applied for casual leave for seven days and Lt. Col. Verma granted the same. In the meantime on October 14, 1978, Lt. Col. Verma proceeded on leave. First petitioner being the second in command was officiating Commanding Officer when Lt. Col. Verma proceeded on leave. On October 16, 1978, the 1st petitioner informed Major V.K. Singh that he could proceed on leave with effect from October, 17, 1978, for a period of seven days. Major V.K. Singh, however, overstayed his leave and returned after 10 days. Petitioner contends that he being a strict disciplinarian, he did not approve of the default of Major Singh and, therefore, he reported the matter to Lt. Col. Verma on his return from leave who in turn asked the 1st petitioner to make investigation and submit report. On the 1st petitioner making the report, Lt. Col. S.N. Verma ordered abstract of evidence to be recorded by framing some charge against Major V.K. Singh. The allegation is that the father-in-law of Major V.K. Singh is Deputy Speaker of Haryana State Legislative Assembly and a man of powerful political influence who appears to have contacted third respondent Lt. General Gurbachan Singh to assist his son-in-law Major V.K. Singh. It is alleged that when Major V.K. Singh was produced before 7th respondent Brigadier P.N. Kacker, the latter appeared reluctant to proceed against Major V.K. Singh. First petitioner sought an interview with 7th respondent and insisted that disciplinary action should be initiated against Major V.K. Singh. First petitioner sought an interview with 5th respondent on December 16, 1978. Major V.K. Singh was awarded 'displeasure' which appears to have infuriated the first petitioner because according to him punishment was disproportionately low compared to default. It is alleged that 5th respondent suggested that 1st petitioner be put on AFMS-10 for psychiatric investigation. 1st petitioner sought attachment to other unit, certain very untoward incidents followed which are detailed in the report of Court of Inquiry set up for ascertaining the facts which are not necessary to be detailed here. 1st petitioner has set out in his petition chronology of events leading to his being charge-sheeted. Ultimately, an order was made to try him by a General Court Martial and a General Court Martial was convened as per the order dated October 7, 1979. The legality and validity of the order constitutiong the General Court Martial is impugned in this petition.


The Same VK singh.. crook to the core...

 

[Ray]

So that error must hang like an albatross around his neck?

Lt Gen Ravi Eipe ran away from the Thagla Ridge (also from 2 RAJPUT) in 1962 (Sino Indian Conflict) and he became an Army Cdr and thought he would become the Chief! (Capt Amarinder Singh of Patiala 'Lest We Forget').

Dig deep and you will find some skeleton in the cupboard!

I am sure you could find some skeleton in the cupboard with Messiahs too!

Major V.K. Singh was awarded 'displeasure' which appears to have infuriated the first petitioner because according to him punishment was disproportionately low compared to default.

 

[Ray]

Are you suggesting that because VK Singh overstayed leave, we should overlook the Tatra Scam, Sukhna and heavens know what all?

 

[Bhadra]

Senior officer in cabinet secretariat leaked Army chief General VK Singh's letter to Prime Minister: PTI report[/SIZE]


NEW DELHI: A joint secretary-rank officer in the cabinet secretariat has been found guilty of leaking Army chief General VK Singh's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the poor state of preparedness of his force and has been shunted out.

A probe into the leakage by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has also cleared General Singh of any wrongdoing in the episode, highly-placed sources told PTI.

In his letter, the Army chief had highlighted the critical shortage of equipment and ammunition in artillery and armoured regiments.

The female officer belonging to the Indian Economic Service (IES) was handling the charge of intelligence agencies under the cabinet secretariat and was nailed after interrogation of some suspected persons, they said.

The officer has now been repatriated to her parent cadre and further action can be taken against her for leaking such a sensitive document, sources said.

After the letter surfaced, both the Houses of Parliament were rocked over the issue and certain parties had demanded action against General Singh also.

At that time, General Singh had said that incident should be treated as "high treason" and the source of leakage should be dealt with "ruthlessly."

"The leakage of the letter should be treated as high treason. Cynical approach to tarnish my reputation should stop. Sources of the leakage should be found and dealt with ruthlessly," Gen Singh had said in a statement issued by the Army Headquarters.

Following the incident government had asked the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to investigate the matter and find out the person responsible for it.

The letter was leaked to the media after Gen Singh made a sensational disclosure in an interview that he was offered a bribe of Rs 14 crore by a retired lieutenant general for favouring a sub-standard defence deal regarding purchase of Army trucks.

 

[Bhadra]

The Same VK singh.. crook to the core...

Thanks for clarity of your bias.....

 

[Bhadra]

I remember that stiff lipped and boastful bragging Brijesh Mishra claiming over a TV show that he was sure PMO did not leak the letter and suggesting with shakes of his dead that it was VK Singh who did it.

Why do people go anti Army to such an extent that they almost get blind ! PMO leaking a confidential letter ! What is left then ?

 

[Kunal Biswas]

BEML TO Sue Retired Indian Army Chief..

This has never happened before. Nothing even close. The Chairman of Indian state-owned defence contractor BEML said today that he planned to sue General Vijay Kumar Singh, who retired as Chief of Army Staff yesterday, for defamation. The Indian Army is BEML's single biggest customer. The provocation, strangely belated, appears to be the official Army statement and on-camera comments, first on a potential Tatra truck scam, and now a potential scam in the procurement of WZT-3 armoured recovery vehicles from Poland's Bumar, via partner BEML. General Singh has scoffed at the demand for an apology and threat to sue.

The uneasy relations between public sector defence firm management and the armed forces is not new (most notably apparent in IAF-HAL relations), but never before have things precipitated to such a level -- past Chief have usually sniped at their suppliers through testimony in Parliament or to the National Auditor. Never before has an armed forces chief come out in the open to question both the quality of a product supplied by a state-owned company, and, more importantly, question the manner in which they were supplied. What I find interesting is that the BEML chairman chose to wait until the Army chief had retired before actually holding his press conference and announcing his plans to sue.

While the Tatra and ARV procurements will be investigated, it is certainly true that there is little accountability in the foreign partnerships and tendering norms at state-owned defence firms.

Livefist: Unprecedented: State Defence Firm To Sue Just Retired Indian Army Chief