Lawyer Prashant Bhushan takes on Centre over Army scam

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 2 (ANI): Senior lawyer and social activist Prashant Bhushan has criticized the Centre over the alleged truck procurement scam in the Indian Army.

Talking to media here, Bhushan expressed his reservations over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, saying that a government-controlled agency would not be in a position to carry out a credible investigation.

"In a matter where the Army chief is saying that a former Lieutenant General is involved, in a matter where the government did not even register an FIR even after being informed by another minister, then after being informed by the Army chief, then, in such a matter, investigation by an agency that is controlled by the government like the CBI is not going to be credible. That is why, we have been saying that these matters should be investigated by an independent body like the Lokpal," Bhushan said

"That is why the demand for a Lokpal that we should have an investigative body, which is independent of the government, which can credibly investigate corruption at the higher levels of the government," he added.

On Thursday, Chief of Army Staff General V.K. Singh issued a brief statement in which he claimed that attempts were being made to tar his image.

According to reports, a letter that he had sent to the Prime Minister's Office on March 12 had asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take suitable steps to enhance the nation's defence preparedness.

He claimed that the army's tanks are "devoid of critical ammunition to defeat enemy tanks" and air defence is "97 percent obsolete and it doesn't give the deemed confidence to protect...from the air."he controversy is the latest in a series involving the army chief after his date of birth row with the government.

General Singh has been in the news this week for his claims of being offered a bribe of Rs.14 crore to clear a tranche of 600 sub-standard vehicles for the army.

Sources have said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) may record General Singh's statement in this regard on March 30, 2012. (ANI)