Unprecedented: State Defence Firm To Sue Just Retired Indian Army Chief

This has never happened before. Nothing even close. The Chairman of Indian state-owned defence contractor BEML said today that he planned to sue General Vijay Kumar Singh, who retired as Chief of Army Staff yesterday, for defamation. The Indian Army is BEML’s single biggest customer. The provocation, strangely belated, appears to be the official Army statement and on-camera comments, first on a potential Tatra truck scam, and now a potential scam in the procurement of WZT-3 armoured recovery vehicles from Poland’s Bumar, via partner BEML. General Singh has scoffed at the demand for an apology and threat to sue.

The uneasy relations between public sector defence firm management and the armed forces is not new (most notably apparent in IAF-HAL relations), but never before have things precipitated to such a level — past Chief have usually sniped at their suppliers through testimony in Parliament or to the National Auditor. Never before has an armed forces chief come out in the open to question both the quality of a product supplied by a state-owned company, and, more importantly, question the manner in which they were supplied. What I find interesting is that the BEML chairman chose to wait until the Army chief had retired before actually holding his press conference and announcing his plans to sue.

While the Tatra and ARV procurements will be investigated, it is certainly true that there is little accountability in the foreign partnerships and tendering norms at state-owned defence firms.

23 thoughts on “Unprecedented: State Defence Firm To Sue Just Retired Indian Army Chief”

  1. What can you expect a corrupt PSU bastard babu do other than raise more muck? But soldier is different. Glad BEML chose the wrong person to pick a fight.

  2. Who cares ?

    Army is an importer of weapons.

    BEML imports the weapons.

    And the two are quarelling.

    Who cares ?

  3. cowards!!! just waited for Mr. Singh to retire and spew venom afterwards. BEML should have challenged VKS when he was in service.

  4. the terminator

    In other words, the PSUs beyond reproach. Nobody, that means even the users of the shoddy equipment downloaded onto the stakeholders (in this case the Army) should criticize or question them. They are not accountable to anyone. Transparency is not in their dictionary.

    They just can't take it when somebody just opens the can and lets all and sundry to see the worms crawling out. Those idiots at BEML have been having a whale of a time fooling the public, MOD and the stakeholders by charging exorbitant rates on equipment imported and branded as Indian made by just adding some unimportant for a long, long time that they want to go on the warpath when their game has been found out and exposed.

    Gen. V K Singh should take those idiots to the cleaners and make BEML pay for their audacity.

    Maybe now is the time to put those corrupted guys at PSUs to pay for their crimes.

  5. I hope Gen V K Singh starts a self defense fund because I will certainly help with funding it. Maybe this will show Shri milk washed Anthony that his complacent behavior is not going un-noticed by citizens of India and awaken the usually dud Indian citizens. The MoD is full of corrupt bureaucracy. it needs a complete overhaul.

  6. The Tatra truck must be so much cozy and comfortable that peoples used to sleep in it and could not be awakened for at least a dozen of years, otherwise what is the proper explanation in this case.

  7. It was supposed to happen. Nothing new in that. In fact i wont be a surprised, if they come with RAPE charges too, against him. But, what a man he is…and i wont mind to bow down in honor of him, if i ever get a chance to meet him. And this one is only for Gen. V K SINGH, "SIR JI TUSSI GREAT HO, TOHFA KABUL KARO"

  8. India doesn't need Egoistic men/women as leaders of state organizations. Simply replace the BEML chief, as he is playing a game of revenge. No wonder Indian security is so compromised as its top leadership as well as all departmental leaders are full of ego crap. One pin prick to their egos and they blow-up easily. How can such hot tempered men supposed to lead a nation's armed forces?

  9. The system strikes back at an honest man. Is it unprecedented? Sure. But for someone to challenge the system the way that Gen. VK Singh has done is also unprecedented.

    In India, the old way of corruption, nepotism, political favoritism, and incompetence is dying, and something new and far greater is struggling to be born. We'll see who wins. My prayers are with Gen VK Singh, Anna Hazare, and all those who demand honesty and genuine performance from India's public servants.

  10. I am not a lawyer, but my understanding is that Gen VKS made these comments while he was still the General. If that is correct, then BEML's should be batteling the ARMY and not the X-Gen.

    I hope someone from any legal background can shed some light on the legality of such law suites.

  11. Dear Sir,
    The very fact that he waited for the COAS to retire prior giving his press conference indicates some dirty dealings.

  12. Central dispensions led by Congress have always despised assertive Army Generals. Gen VK Singh has been the most assertive of the recent generals. Hope people have not forgotten Late Gen K Sundarji for his non compromising stands.

    Besides Gen VK Singh no one else has taken corruption head on in the army (Sukna, Adarsh etc) and allowed people to be prosecuted. Corruption is rampant in the defence forces as people know publicly and personally too.

    Gen Singh has raised very apt points regarding Tatra. Given so many indigenous manufacturers, why do we still import trucks from dubious eastern Europe manufacturers. BEML is a parasite which survives on government doll outs. Go to their yard in CV Raman Nager Bangalore today and go to their yard 10 years hence, even the paint of their products would not have changed.

    BEML chairman should answer questions on why they still manufacture the same railway bogies as they did decades ago, why they have to import technology for metro coaches, why their bulldozers and earth moving equipment have not had even paint change and to top it all Tatra. At least I ask these questions whenever I go to CV Raman Nagar, Bangalore.

  13. Suing for defamation is a good thing because when somebody sue's for defamation it is his onus to prove that Gen V.K Singh has actually "lied" with malicious intent to mislead the public. It is required to prove that what V.K Singh said was indeed false.

    I am eager to see if the BEML chairman can do that. Gen V.K Singh can also counter sue BEML chairman in a PIL for gross corruption, negligence and even dangerous incompetence.

    People thing going to the court is a nice way to get "even" with somebody but in the Indian judicial system, going to the courts is a pandaora's box that can reveal all kinds of thing that you would never want to come to light.

  14. I hope both these idiots go to court and spill the beans on every shady deal that they have been involved in.

  15. The above comments just shows the reality of the masses. Nobody questions the ridiculousness of top chief not knowing his own date of birth and next raking up the case of someone giving him bribes just to recover his lost prestige.

  16. Ha ha ha. The manufacturer suing the customer for commenting on Soddy products!
    BEML wake up . Captive markets are now dreams.

  17. From the beginning of the controversy suspect this man, NATARAJAN is a big thief.

    Video of NATARAJAN Press Conf.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMzuM4AWiJI

    From the looks and the way he is lashing out, he looks like a wolf in lamb's dress.

    These corrupt men are the real enemy of our nation.

    They are only responsible for India's poor infrastructure and growth in world.

    If not atleast our country will be have grown like Gulf countries early.

    Feel shame and sad when visiting other countries and seeing their infra and growth.

    We will not prosper ever with these politicians and corrupt men in Indian leadership.

  18. the terminator

    Natarajan of BRML is one of the most corrupted among the PSUs. He is one fat cat who has been caught with his pants down. He was so cocksure that he and his coterie of thieves won't get caught until Gen. VKS proved him wrong. Now this moron is digging his own grave by showing utter disregard to the legal ramifications of suing a general who knows what he is talking about. Natarajan's bravado is not only going to put him in the shit house but his friends in crime are going to be dragged in.

    Would these rascals try to buy Gen VKS with an out-of-court settlement? They just might with all the ill-gotten millions/billions over the years. Let us wait and watch how the Indian legal system deals with corrupted babus and the whistle blowers.

  19. Wah wah, PSU genius….Does the idiot babu know that he and his PSU have already been judged in the court of public opinion, and the facts don't lie, the Indian Army receive a truck that costs twice as much and has a maintence heavy older & thirsty engine compared to other TATRA customers. By the way the IA due to its sheer size should receive a better deal then most others. Now when u factor in tech transfer why does BEML need to import the crucial sub components….it's a truck u can make one of those, TATA does. General if u need contributions to a defence fund I will donate with many others to fight this underhanded action just when u retire ( u won't need to Biki will take this fight…if he wants wide support. PSU eating tax payer monies on frivolous court cases who allows this ….!

  20. Dear gentlemen, do you think this is natrajan's doing? well all of you who know MoD/DDP functioning would know where is it coming from. natrajan is only a pawn, his masters are the boos in ministry. no chairman of any DPSU goes even to the pot without asking his masters in the MoD. wait for more to come,this is only the beginning. i had predicted the vindictiveness to surface after the Gen's retirement.

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