The former officer, facing a CBI probe for allegedly offering Rs 14 crore bribe to Army Chief General V K Singh to clear a tranche of 600 Tatra trucks for the force, has filed the application before Justice Mukta Gupta.
The court, which is already hearing his plea seeking withdrawal of the Army's March 5 press release on the ground that it was harming his fundamental right to reputation, today slated May 24 for hearing his fresh application.
"Direct the respondent no I (Centre) to provide the copies of the letter submitted on record before this Hon'ble Court," said Tejinder Singh in his plea.
The Centre earlier had told the court that it had no role in issuance of the alleged press release as it was drafted and released by the Army after a proper consultation with its top brass as per their media policy.
The retired lieutenant general, in his plea, has cited provisions of the Army Act and the rules to drive home the point that the Army is not authorised to issue a public statement without prior approval of the Central government.
"It is pertinent to submit that as per the Army Act, Army Rules and the Defence Technical Publicity Rules, the Army and the Army personnel, including Army chief, are not authorised to directly address the public or media, without prior approval of the respondent no 1 (Centre). The Army could not have any media policy of its own, as has been wrongly informed by the respondent no. 1 to the Court," the application said.
