Govt refutes claims by 26/11 commando

A day after Ajmal Kasab was hanged for his role in the 26/11 terror attacks, former NSG commando Surender Singh on Thursday alleged that he along with many of his colleagues did not get the financial benefits promised to him. Singh, supported by India Against Corruption leader Arvind Kejriwal, said he has not got a single penny from the government as pension.

Singh was part of the team that went inside the Taj Mahal Hotel and secured it after killing the terrorists. He was removed from the service after being declared medically unfit to serve since he had sustained severe injuries in the attack.

The government, however, rejected the allegations. “The individual (Singh) in question has been paid Rs. 31 lakh by the Maharashtra government and the government of India. I believe that he also received Rs. 25,000, which is in the form of a war injury pension,” said union information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari.

An army spokesperson dismissed the charges that Singh had been given a raw deal. He said there might have been some delay in calculating his pension as medical boards had to determine the level of his disability. Singh has already been paid R19 lakh due to him and an amount of Rs. 11 lakh will be paid soon,” he said. Singh and Kejriwal, however, countered the claim.

“I’m not fighting just for myself but also for my colleagues who are still in service,” Singh said.

“I have not got a single paisa as pension. I am spending my own money for treatment. I was given a certificate acknowledging my contribution but that too was unsigned. I returned it to get it signed but haven’t received the signed copy yet. I have not received a single penny other than the R4 lakh (which includes R2.5 lakh from the union government),” Singh said.

Interestingly, the denial to Singh’s claims was tweeted by the Press Information Bureau as the charges were being levelled during a press conference.