MoD official acquitted in 2001 Tehelka defence deal sting case

A Defence Ministry official, who was accused of accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 to favour a fictitious private firm in a defence deal sting, has been acquitted by a Delhi court which said no criminal liability can be imputed to him.

The court absolved Narender Singh, who was an Assistant Financial Advisor in the Defence Ministry and was later suspended, of charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. It said the evidence produced by CBI was "not sufficient enough" to convict Singh in the case.

“There is nothing on record file to show that Narender Singh had, at any point of time, given any favour or disfavour to any person so as to attract Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act,” Special CBI Judge Ramesh Kumar said. 

“Further, there is nothing on the record file to show that he had taken any gratification for exercising personal influence to show favour or disfavour to any person. No criminal liability can be fastened in the absence of positive demand by the accused, Narender Singh from Mathew Samuel,” the court said.