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Less than a week after government-owned Bharat Earth Movers Ltd chief V R S Natarajan served a legal notice for filing a defamation suit against General(retd) V K Singh, the Ministry of Defence today denied having given permission to the BEML chief to slap the notice on the former Army chief a day after his retirement on May 31.

''MoD has categorically denied giving permission to the CMD, BEML Shri VRS Natarajan to serve a legal notice for filing a defamation suit against General (Retd) VK Singh,'' the Ministry said in a statement.

''The Ministry has asked Shri Natarajan to explain as to why he had made such a statement to the media.''

General Singh had promptly rejected on June 1 the demand for an apology made by Natarajan on allegations of bribe in the Tatra truck deal.

At press conference in Bangalore on June 1, BEML Chairman and Managing Director had said that the company has slapped a legal notice on General Singh demanding an apology for his 'false and motivated' allegations against it on the Tatra truck issue.

''Legal notice has been issued today. If he does not apologise, we may file a defamation suit against Gen V K Singh,'' Natarajan had told reporters.

''Apology for what, I would like to ask Natarajan that. I have not alleged anything, I have just stated some facts, General Singh said reacting to Natarajan's demand.

''The issue is with the CBI, which is investigating. I am quite sure that he (Natarajan) is motivated to file all kinds of things against me. What are the facts are known to him and now to the CBI. Let us proceed with the investigation, I am quite sure we will find what the truth is,'' General Singh had told the media.

General Singh, while in service, had alleged that he was offered a Rs 14 crore bribe by a former Army officer to clear supply of a tranche of 600 Tatra trucks into which the CBI is investigating.