New Delhi, June 13: A discredited former officer of the army, better known by the sobriquet “booze brigadier”, today alleged that the military intelligence outfit of the armed forces was weak and had let down the armed forces repeatedly.

R.P. Singh, the former brigadier, was cashiered from service in 2004 but he alleges he was victimised for blowing the whistle on corrupt deals by senior officers.

Asked if his account could be taken at face value because he was not above doubt, Singh replied: “The defence establishment always goes for the small fry and ignores the big fish.”

Singh said he is now penning a book titled Indian Army ? No More a Holy Cow but could not identify a publisher for it. He distributed copies of an article that he said was the first chapter of his manuscript at a news conference today.

Asked for a response, a defence ministry official said Singh’s remarks were not worthy of comment because he was discredited.

The news conference itself was held under amusing circumstances. A defence ministry official telephoned the secretary of the Press Club here and asked her why the establishment was allowing such a gathering to be held by the discredited officer. A note was also sent to her, which was a brief on the charges against him.

Army officials kept a close watch on the event and took a record of the proceedings.

Much of what Singh said is damaging not only to the institution of the army but borders on the libellous.

He insinuated that a very senior officer of the army whose daughter-in-law is French should be investigated for suspected links with a Sikh militant, Jagtar Singh Hawara, chief of Babbar Khalsa International, who is now in jail.

Another officer, he said, was holding on to a crucial post in army headquarters “even though he is medically unfit to be a lieutenant general”.

In his release today, Singh has written that the military intelligence outfit was a failure in counter-insurgency operations.

“The field commanders do not have any faith on the information given by it since it is unrealistic or outdated, resulting in fruitless wild goose chases due to which frustration sets in among the troops,” Singh has written in his manuscript that is said to be an insider’s account.