Letter leak an act of treason: Army Chief

Breaking his silence since his ‘bribe bombshell’ snowballed into a national controversy, Indian Army Chief General VK Singh on Thursday termed the media leak of his confidential letter written to the Prime Minister as an act of “treason” and said it was an approach to tarnish his reputation.

The Army Chief’s allegations of a lobbyist offering him bribe in his office to clear a defence contract had led to a national outrage and prompting an embarrassed government to order CBI inquiry into the bribery allegations. However, before the controversy could have cooled down, the media leak of the Army Chief’s letter led to demand of his sacking from the political parties.

"This is an outrage! Official communication with the PM, RM (Raksha Mantri) or anybody for that matter with the COAS (Chief of Army Staff) is privileged information. The leaking of the letter should be treated as high treason,” General Singh said in his first reaction on the issue. 

The Army Chief’s reaction has come in the backdrop of frayed relationship between the office of the Chief of Army Staff and the Defence Ministry. On Wednesday the Army Chief was accused of “breach of discipline” by some MPs and his dismissal was sought.

The General also criticized the cynical approach taken by the political class after the contents of the letter projecting a grim state of military preparedness were made public. “This cynical approach to tar my reputation has to stop. The source of the leak has to be found and dealt with ruthlessly," the Army Chief added.

Singh returned from Srinagar late evening. He presently has close to two months before he retires on May 31. Wary of the Army Chief trying to scuttle the elevation of his successor, the government has named the Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Bikram Singh as the Army Chief designate 90 days in advance as against the norm of the 60 days.

However, saying that he did not want to “add fuel” to the controversy, Defence Minister AK Antony said: “I am not in embarrassing situation. I am comfortable.”

He also termed the letter leak an “anti-national act” and assured to take strongest action in the Indian Penal Code against the culprits. The Defence Minister said the Intelligence Bureau report will be submitted at the earliest.