NEW DELHI: The management of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has chargesheeted three employees who were part of a group that addressed a press conference in New Delhi last week, on grounds that they were "spreading rumours" that brought disrepute to the company, and shared "confidential information with unauthorised persons".

The employees, some of whom met Congress president Rahul Gandhi before they addressed the media on January 10, alleged that the NDA government had contrived a conspiracy to "bleed and shut down" the state-run aerospace major.They also demanded that the government give HAL the contract to make the remaining tranche of 90 Rafale aircraft, not as offset partners but under the transfer of technology route.

Sources in HAL told TOI that two of the three persons who addressed the media - S Renuka and Vijay Kumar - were among those chargesheeted by the HAL management on Sunday.