Tatra case: CBI records A K Antony, T K A Nair statements

CBI has looked into links between Tejender Singh and Tatra owner but has not been able to establish any.

A K Antony

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently recorded statements of Defence Minister A K Antony and Prime Minister’s adviser T K A Nair as witnesses in the Rs 14 crore bribery case registered on the complaint of former Army Chief Gen V K Singh.

Gen (retd) V K Singh alleged that a retired senior Army official offered him the bribe to clear purchase of Tatra trucks from a PSU. CBI, probing the case for nearly two years now, decided to record statements of Antony and Nair to decide whether to close the case or file a chargesheet.

“The CBI recorded statements of the Defence Minister and former principal secretary in the PMO as witnesses,” CBI director Ranjit Sinha confirmed.

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The former Army Chief alleged that Lt Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh offered Rs 14 crore to clear an order of over 1,600 Tatra trucks to be supplied by Public Sector Undertaking BEML. The retired Lt Gen denied V K Singh’s allegation. The Defence Ministry ordered a CBI inquiry to probe the allegations after which a case was registered in October 2012.

The former Army Chief, in his complaint, said he informed the Defence Minister after the purported bribe offer was made. Nair was questioned as V K Singh alleged he opposed scrapping of the Tatra deal, CBI said.

The audio tapes, supposed to have a recording of the purported conversation between the former Army Chief and Tejender Singh, were of no use as only noise was heard, the agency said.

Attempts to retrieve voice through forensic means did not yield results, said the officials.

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CBI has looked into links between Tejender Singh and Tatra owner but has not been able to establish any.

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