Court wants inquiry into Tejinder Singh’s plea
19 May 2012 5:22 AM GMT
A Patiala House court will hold an inquiry in the defamation case against the Army chief Gen V K Singh before passing any order on summoning him to the court.
The court on Friday said that that it will inquire into whether the Army chief and four others named by Lt Gen (Retd) Tejinder Singh in the defamation case had any role in the publication of the press release which levelled serious bribery allegation against Tejinder Singh.
Metropolitan Magistrate Jay Thareja said that the only important question that now survives before the court is that whether among the five persons mentioned in the complaint, the Army chief and two others - Lt Gen S K Singh and Lt Gen B S Thakur - had any complicity in the publication of the press release.
The court said that it was 'prima facie satisfied that the March 5 press release was defamatory', as 'ex-facie' serious allegation of 'bribery' has been made against Tejinder Singh, who had a long and distinguished career in the Army. But, it said that before passing any order, it has to be inquired whether the Army chief and four others named in the complaint had any role in the publication of the press release.
The judge said, 'In my view, at this stage, testimony of the complainant supported by the testimonies of complainant witnesses ... is sufficient to prima facie satisfy this court that the press release dated March 5 is defamatory i.e. false and injurious qua the character and reputation of the complainant.
'The bribery allegation made in the press release dated March 5 appears to be a ex-facie serious allegation when seen in light of the fact that the complainant has claimed to have rendered thirty nine and half years of distinguished service in the Indian Army and have obtained two medals from the Government of India for his distinguished service,' it said.
The court has directed the defence ministry to place the file relating to the publication of the Army’s 5 March press release, in which Tejinder Singh was accused of offering a bribe of Rs 14 crore to the Army chief.
The court on Friday said that that it will inquire into whether the Army chief and four others named by Lt Gen (Retd) Tejinder Singh in the defamation case had any role in the publication of the press release which levelled serious bribery allegation against Tejinder Singh.
Metropolitan Magistrate Jay Thareja said that the only important question that now survives before the court is that whether among the five persons mentioned in the complaint, the Army chief and two others - Lt Gen S K Singh and Lt Gen B S Thakur - had any complicity in the publication of the press release.
The court said that it was 'prima facie satisfied that the March 5 press release was defamatory', as 'ex-facie' serious allegation of 'bribery' has been made against Tejinder Singh, who had a long and distinguished career in the Army. But, it said that before passing any order, it has to be inquired whether the Army chief and four others named in the complaint had any role in the publication of the press release.
The judge said, 'In my view, at this stage, testimony of the complainant supported by the testimonies of complainant witnesses ... is sufficient to prima facie satisfy this court that the press release dated March 5 is defamatory i.e. false and injurious qua the character and reputation of the complainant.
'The bribery allegation made in the press release dated March 5 appears to be a ex-facie serious allegation when seen in light of the fact that the complainant has claimed to have rendered thirty nine and half years of distinguished service in the Indian Army and have obtained two medals from the Government of India for his distinguished service,' it said.
The court has directed the defence ministry to place the file relating to the publication of the Army’s 5 March press release, in which Tejinder Singh was accused of offering a bribe of Rs 14 crore to the Army chief.
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