New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Friday granted bail to Lt. Gen. (Retd) Tejinder Singh, who was taken into custody after a court here rejected his bail plea over allegations that he offered a bribe to then army chief General V.K. Singh for clearing “sub-standard” Tatra trucks.
Justice Pratibha Rani asked Lt.Gen. Tejinder Singh to furnish a personal bond of Rs.1 lakh and a surety of like amount. He was also asked not to leave the county without informing the trial court.
Granting bail to Tejinder Singh, the court refused to accept the claim of the CBI that if given bail, he will influence the witnesses in the case.
“The contentions of CBI that petitioner has retired from a very senior position and has capacity to influence the witnesses, does not hold water for the simple reason that during investigation of this case, which continued for about two years, the CBI never complained that he has indulged in any such activity,” the court said in its order.
Tejinder Singh moved the high court challenging the trial court’s Sep 1 order sending him to judicial custody till Oct 20.
The court also held that the decision of trial court to dismiss the bail plea of Tejinder Singh was against the settled legal principles laid down by high courts and the Supreme Court, and “he deserves to be enlarged on bail”.
The CBI judge, while sending Tejinder Singh to judicial custody, noted that he was holding the rank of Lt. General in the Indian Army and offered a bribe of Rs.14 crore to then army chief.
In March 2012, Gen. V.K. Singh alleged that he was offered Rs.14 crore in bribe for clearing a tranche of 1,676 Tatra trucks for the army.
He alleged that Tejinder Singh met him in August-September 2010 and offered him the money on behalf of Vectra Group chief Ravi Rishi to clear the file for procurement of the Tatra trucks.