Tejinder Singh withdraws plea against Army chief from SC

Retired Army officer Tejinder Singh has withdrawn his plea against Army chief V K Singh from the Supreme Court.

The retired Lt General had sought a CBI inquiry into the alleged misconduct of General Singh.

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.

Dhawan told the Bench: ''Allegations need reworking. Seeking liberty to withdraw to file before an appropriate forum.''

"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.

Talking to 'The Indian Express', Dhawan said certain words ''treacherous'' needed to be removed from the petition.

He said an ''appropriate forum'' would be either the Delhi High Court of the Armed forces Tribunal by .

He said Singh stands by the allegations made against the Army chief, specially that on the ''surveillance'' of the Defence establishment. He said the public interest litigation was serious.

Tejinder Singh had approached the Supreme Court on April 25 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.

The petition was filed days after the Army chief accused Tejinder Singh of offering him bribe of Rs 14 crore for purchase of Tatra trucks. Following the complaint by the Army Chief, the CBI initiated a probe into the matter.

He 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.

... contd.

ALSO READ

CBI chief says report on coal block 'clean and clear'

Unfazed by Opposition's demand, Cong backs Pawan Bansal and Ashwani Kumar

India, China border face-off ends, both sides agree to withdraw troops

Pawar to seek special package for state