Indian Army's Top Corruption Scandals


Bangalore: Corruption scandals, one after another, have taken the Indian Army’s morale to a new low. The image of the Indian defense establishment in the public perception is not far from an untrustworthy police officer and the rot within the ‘soon going to be’ “once-prestigious Indian Army” is becoming increasingly clear with the recent developments. As in politics, corruption is a deep-rooted cancerous culture in the army and has a long history to be traced.

With Defense Minister AK Antony ordering a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into Army Chief General V.K. Singh's allegation, here is a low-down on some of the scams that rocked the defence ministry since 2007 and the outcome of the investigations.

Army Chief Offered a 14 Crore Bribe

Dropping a bombshell, Army Chief General V.K. Singh alleged that an equipment lobbyist offered him a bribe of 14 crore, which he had reported to the Defence Minister AK Antony. In an interview to a newspaper, he said the offer was made for approving the supply of 600 sub-standard vehicles to the army.

He also made it clear that he had brought the matter to the notice of Defence Minister A.K. Antony soon after the offer was made to him.

"Just imagine, one of these men had the gumption to walk up to me and tell me that if I cleared the tranche, he would give me Rs 14 crore. He was offering a bribe to me, to the Army chief. He told me that people had taken money before me and they will take money after me," Gen Singh said during the interview.

However, retired Lieutenant General Tejinder Singh refuted allegations that he had offered bribe to army chief VK Singh and said that no conversation related to any purchase or deal took place the last time he had met him. "I had last met General VK Singh sometimes in September 2010 which is more than year and a half ago, and it was on a personal matter which I don't want to elaborate at this stage," Singh said.

(With IANS Inputs)