New Delhi, October 20
More than six months after former Army Chief Gen VK Singh first alleged that he was offered a bribe for okaying the purchase of specialised military trucks, the CBI today registered a case against Lt General Tejinder Singh, a retired officer.

Gen Tejinder Singh, a former chief of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), has been booked for having allegedly offered a bribe of Rs 14 crore to former Army Chief General VK Singh to clear proposal for the procurement of multi-axle trucks from Tatra-BEML. The foreign truck maker, Tatra-Sipox is in a tie-up with defence public sector undertaking Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML).

The CBI teams today raided seven locations in Delhi, Noida and Mumbai. Sources said this included raids on the properties of Vectra group chairman Ravinder Rishi, who is a director in Tatra-Sipox.

The CBI said: “A case has been registered under Section 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against a retired Lieutenant General (Tejinder Singh) for allegedly offering a bribe of Rs 14 crore, on behalf of a private supplier of trucks, to the then Chief of Army Staff, allegedly for clearing the proposal pending with him for approval, for procurement of 1,676 high mobility vehicles for the Indian Army.”

The Section 12 of the Act deals with punishment for abetment to offences under Sections 7 and 11 of the Act. It applies even if the offence of giving bribe was not consequently committed.

Lt Gen Tejinder Singh’s lawyer said this evening: “We have nothing against the inquiry. This will now answer why was there a delay of two years in filing a complaint by Gen VK Singh.”

.