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| Late Sqn Ldr (Retd) Baldev Singh |
By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service
Express News Service
Bangalore: The Chikkaballapur Police, which investigated into the suicide case of Sqn Ldr (Retd) Baldev Singh, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd's (HAL) then Director Corporate Planning and Marketing (DCP&M) , says that they are willing to hand over the probe to a bigger agency or to the Bangalore Police, if the situation so warrants.
“A complaint from any Indian citizen (in person), citing reasons that they suspect a foul play is all that we need to re-open the case. We are willing to hand over the probe to any agency, if our seniors demand so,” Iyyanna Reddy, Investigation Officer and Sub-Inspector, Chikkaballapur Rural police station, tells Express Investigation Team (EIT). Reddy's team had already closed the case after studying the final postmortem report and forensic lab test results. Reddy told the EIT that they haven’t questioned any senior officials of HAL yet, for want of a complaint.
While HAL so far managed to perform a perfect cover-job by sticking to their 'no internal probe mode,' HAL’s new head R K Tyagi's decision to back the safe-stand (Express report dated March 14), has surprised many, including some of his own peers. “A proper probe by HAL would have got the confidence-level back among the work force. Sighting to a routine police probe, which definitely did not get into the depths of the case, is a very diplomatic way of sidelining the matter. Tyagi would have won many hearts by standing up firmly, but he too seems to have surrendered to HAL’s systems quickly,” sources said.
Baldy's friends now want a probe by an external agency as they aren't sure of the fairness at which an internal team would probe the case. "Most at the top management know the probably reasons that prompted Baldy to resort to this extreme step. None of the top management officials have been questioned by the police so far. An external agency can bring out the truth," sources said.
On the other hand, the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has shortlisted a successor to Baldy on March 12. Anantha Agasthya, ED, HAL Management Academy, surpassed eight internal and five external candidates to become the likely D(CP&M). The PESB announcement came exactly five months after Baldy's death (October 12, 2011). Agasthya’s selection will have to be okayed by a series of Central agencies, before he could succeed Baldy, officially.
“A complaint from any Indian citizen (in person), citing reasons that they suspect a foul play is all that we need to re-open the case. We are willing to hand over the probe to any agency, if our seniors demand so,” Iyyanna Reddy, Investigation Officer and Sub-Inspector, Chikkaballapur Rural police station, tells Express Investigation Team (EIT). Reddy's team had already closed the case after studying the final postmortem report and forensic lab test results. Reddy told the EIT that they haven’t questioned any senior officials of HAL yet, for want of a complaint.
While HAL so far managed to perform a perfect cover-job by sticking to their 'no internal probe mode,' HAL’s new head R K Tyagi's decision to back the safe-stand (Express report dated March 14), has surprised many, including some of his own peers. “A proper probe by HAL would have got the confidence-level back among the work force. Sighting to a routine police probe, which definitely did not get into the depths of the case, is a very diplomatic way of sidelining the matter. Tyagi would have won many hearts by standing up firmly, but he too seems to have surrendered to HAL’s systems quickly,” sources said.
Baldy's friends now want a probe by an external agency as they aren't sure of the fairness at which an internal team would probe the case. "Most at the top management know the probably reasons that prompted Baldy to resort to this extreme step. None of the top management officials have been questioned by the police so far. An external agency can bring out the truth," sources said.
On the other hand, the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has shortlisted a successor to Baldy on March 12. Anantha Agasthya, ED, HAL Management Academy, surpassed eight internal and five external candidates to become the likely D(CP&M). The PESB announcement came exactly five months after Baldy's death (October 12, 2011). Agasthya’s selection will have to be okayed by a series of Central agencies, before he could succeed Baldy, officially.
Copyright@The New Indian Express