NEW DELHI, Dec 28:
In the backdrop of corruption allegations against former IAF chief S P Tyagi in the VVIP chopper scam, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha today said multiple agencies are involved in the procurement process and no one can pin the blame on one particular organisation or service.
Tyagi, who was given bail recently, has always maintained that all decisions were taken collectively and it is wrong to solely blame him.
IAF Chief Raha, who was asked about corruption charges plaguing defence deals, also lamented that despite probes into the alleged scams over the decades, not much could be achieved by the investigating agencies to bring to justice people involved in corrupt practices.
“If these corruption charges are proved, it is bad for the armed forces, or whoever is involved. It is not just the armed forces who are involved in the procurement.
“There are so many agencies who are involved. Therefore you cannot pin the blame on one particular organisation or service,” Raha said speaking to reporters just days before he demits office on December 31.
Tyagi has said that senior officials of the Defence Ministry, the Special Protection Group as well the Prime Minister’s Office besides others were part of the decision making process along with him. Raha argued that the procurement process in the IAF is more stringent than any other service.
He said till the time a person is convicted, “I think we should give him due” but if a person is found guilty, there will be “no sympathy” for him. “A former air force chief is like a family member, extended family member. If anybody in my family goes through a rough patch, I think we should stand by that person. And if the charges are proved, then we have no sympathy for him. (PTI)
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