Advani seeks expeditious probe into army chief's allegations

Gandhinagar, Mar 27 (ANI): Comparing the Central Government to a terminally-ill patient due to a series of corruption cases, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani has sought expeditious investigation into allegations of a bribe being offered to army chief General Vijay Kumar Singh.

"It is a very serious matter. The corruption in the political arena is one thing. But it is a very serious matter that somebody has tried to offer a bribe to the army chief. I hope that the probe will not be delayed. I hope that the report would be tabled in parliament and made public as the soon as investigation is over," Advani told media here.

"It (the government) is not properly functioning, it would be in the interest of the county if an election is held. But, I have always felt that the situation that has developed, is an uncertain situation, and therefore, no one can say whether this government will fall before 2014 or continue till 2014. I have held that the condition of such a government, is like that of a terminally-ill patient, and, I have known a terminally-ill patient to survive for several years," he added.

General Singh had earlier told the national daily 'The Hindu' that "he was offered a bribe worth Rs.14 crore by an equipment lobbyist in order to have a tranche of 600 sub-standard vehicles of a particular made cleared for purchase.

General Singh said, "One of these men had the gumption to walk up to me and tell me that if I cleared the tranche, he would give me Rs.14 crore. He was offering a bribe to me, to the Army Chief. He told me that people had taken money before me and they will take money after me."

He also said that he had reported the incident to Defence Minister A. K. Antony. (ANI)