Phone tapping; Action being taken against officers: Gen Singh

Amid controversy over alleged tapping of some sensitive phones in the capital by the Army, its chief Gen V K Singh today said "necessary action" is being taken against officers who are behind leaking "fictitious" stories to the media.

The Army chief also indicated that such stories were being leaked by people who are "hurt" by his actions against corruption in the 1.13 million-strong force.

"It (Army) will take necessary action against some of these officers. Our aim is that we come up with facts upfront and we don't hide them. Such fiction has to be countered," Singh told reporters.

The Army Headquarters had recently issued a press release blaming Lt Gen (retd) Tejinder Singh and a few "serving disgruntled" officers for planting stories in the media about tapping of sensitive phones by the Army.

Singh was replying to a query about the action against officers who the Army says were behind leaking these reports.

However, the Army chief did not name the officers allegedly involved in the episode or their role in it.

"I don't know what they were doing, you all should know better," Singh said.
Asked about recent reports that he had purchased a piece of land in Himachal Pradesh which could not be owned by people outside the state, the Army Chief said, "Let us not go by this salacious tarnishing of image that is going on.

"I started with a particular thing and unfortunately this is hurting a lot of people. We have Adarsh and all kinds of things where people are feeling that all the wrongdoings have been exposed. That is the motivation behind all what is being thrown."

Singh said if non-Himachalis were there (by buying land), they must have taken some permission. "There are rules for that," he said.