Former Army Chief  General (Retd.) V K Singh has been accused to be involved in a plot to overthrow the present Jammu and Kashmir Government, some media reports say.
An Indian Express Report says that a Military Intelligence unit set up by Gen. V K singh in 2010, named Technical Services Division (TSD) allegedly tried to topple the Omar Abdullah led Jammu and Kashmir Government, through the use of its Secret Funds.
General V K Singh, has denied these charges and called this a political vendetta against him, consequently after he was seen sharing dais with Narendra Modi in a Ex-Defense Servicemen Rally at Rewari on September 14.
The Report quotes an enquiry report submitted by Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia(DG, Military Operations), which has recommended a fresh investigation by some external agency like CBI.
The Bhatia Report alleges TSD of,
- Â Misusing secret service funds to destabilise the Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir.
- To pay off an NGO to try change the line of succession in the Army top brass.
- To buy off-air interception equipment, to conduct “unauthorised” covert operations
However, the Bhatia Enquiry Report relies heavily on the Statements of several Army Officers which makes it a difficult evidence to initiate legal proceedings.
The Report says that Rs 1.19 crore given to Ghulam Hassan Mir, presently Agriculture Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, for toppling the present Jammu & Kashmir Government. However, Mir has termed these charges baseless.
The Report further says that Rs 2.38 crore was given some Hakikat Singh on orders from Army Headquarters. Hakikat Singh set up an NGO named “Jammu and Kashmir Humanitarian Service Organisation (JKHSO),” which was linked to “Yes Kashmir,” another NGO which filed a PIL against then Army Commander Bikram Singh (who is now the Army Chief) in the alleged fake encounter case in Jangalat Mandi when Bikram Singh was a Brigadier. That PIL, which was later dismissed, was widely seen as an attempt to scuttle Bikram Singh’s appointment and change the line of succession in the top brass.
The TSD was formed during the tenure of Gen VK Singh and it reported directly to the Army Chief. Its existence came to light in March last year when it was alleged that the unit had tapped the phones of Defence Ministry officials at the height of the controversy over the then Army Chief’s date of birth. The process to disband the TSD was initiated recently after the new Army Chief took over and its officers and men have been posted out from there.
Commenting on these reports, Gen VK Singh said, “This is simple vendetta as some people are not comfortable with me sharing the dais with Narendra Modi to espouse the cause of ex-servicemen in the country.”
He said if anyone has recommended a probe into the functioning of the unit, then that person is “talking through his hat” as its operations were meant to be secret.
Naresh Agrawal of Samajwadi Party says, “Govt must stop people who have been at top positions from entering politics after retirement”.
Former IPS Officer Kiran Bedi says, “Govt must deal with Gen VK Singh with maturity. Millions of persons in armed forces are watching this.Now that he is speaking up for them also”.
Update
On September 22, Gen. V K Sing said that he would file an RTI petition to get a copy of Bhatia Report.
“We have come to this conclusion that the only way to establish the truth regarding this report and regarding the activities which are being questioned now is to see the copy of the report. So we are planning to move an RTI application tomorrow (Monday) itself asking for a copy of that report submitted by Lt Gen Bhatia and also inspection of the records,” V.K. Singh’s counsel Vishwajeet Singh said.