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| Late Sqn Ldr (Retd) Baldev Singh |
Express Investigation Team
Bangalore: Five months after Sqn Ldr (Retd) Baldev Singh, one of India's top-rated Test pilots committed suicide near Nandi Hills, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) seems to be in no mood to order an internal probe. This after wide-spread speculation that HAL's newly-crowned chief R K Tyagi might set the record straight by ordering a probe to erase the doubts among the employees.
The breaking news jettisoning out of HAL's hangars now is that neither Tyagi nor his team want an internal probe into the suicide of Baldy, who was the company's Director, Corporate Planning and Marketing (DCP&M). HAL had earlier communicated to Express that they are convinced with the police investigation, which is now closed.
Reacting to an Express email sent to Tyagi with seven direct questions related to Baldy's death, HAL responded with absolute conviction that the matter is closed and no probe, come what may. “First and foremost, we are saddened by the untimely demise of Baldy. As regards to your query whether HAL ought to have conducted an independent probe into the death, we would like to state that since the police were conducting an investigation into the issue, it was decided not to have a parallel inquiry. We don’t wish to go for another probe into the matter,” an email response from V M Chamola, Director (HR), HAL, said.
Badly's close buddies and a section of insiders who are still fuming over HAL's 'no-probe-stand' fear disciplinary actions, if they make a representation seeking a probe. Express Investigation Team (EIT) is being informed that the police did receive an anonymous letter soon after Baldy's death, but couldn't act as it contained only allegations, lacking 'verifiable facts.' (To be contd)
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