The cat is again out of the bag, three Top Army Generals are again in the news for all the bad reasons Army would like to shy away from. But democracy is giving everybody chance to defend themselves and it is yet to be established as to how and when these officers, the so called Top Eight Generals of Indian Army and Advisors to Chief of Indian Army would be inflicted by these reasons alone surviving such defence. The three Generals will now face the sack orders.
In the major embarrassment to the Army The list of new celebrities of Indian Army goes like this:
Lt. Gen Awdhesh Prakash, Military Secretary, Indian Army,
Lt Gen. Ramesh Halgali, Commander 11 Corps , Jalandhar,
Lt Gen. P.K. Rath, Deputy Chief Designate,
Maj. Gen P.Sen (then Brigadier), and
Two Colonels who were grilled at COI (Court of Inquiry).
Lt. Gen. Prakash is currently posted as Military Secretary at the army headquarters in Delhi. Lt Gen Rath was all set to go to the Army Headquarters as Deputy Chief but his posting has been kept in abeyance pending the probe.
The court of enquiry has found Lt. Gen. Awadesh Prakash, "blameworthy", said an official, not divulging further details of the findings of the report.
An Army Court of Inquiry (COI) headed by Tezpur-based 4 Corps Commander Lt Gen K T Parnaik has indicted Military Secretary Lt Gen Awadhesh Prakash and Lt Gen P K Rath for their role in issuing a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to a private establishment that falsely claimed to be establishing an affiliate of the famed Ajmer-based Mayo College. (It is noteworthy here that preliminary Army probe had revealed that the institution had no connection with Mayo College, the premise under which the NOC was issued.)
The Army is tight-lipped about the deal. Lt. Gen Prakash agreed to give away the Army land on long lease to a private educational firm though the earlier Commanders had rejected the proposal on security reasons as an Army helipad is close by. A no objection certificate is mandatory for sale of land adjacent to military stations due to security reasons. According to sources Gen Prakash was promised a plum post by the private company after his retirement.
The Court of Inquiry into the Darjeeling land scam case has brought out that a Siliguri real estate developer Dilip Agarwal and Lt General Awdhesh Prakash were in constant touch while a dubious Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was being drafted to clinch the land deal.
In the major embarrassment to the Army The list of new celebrities of Indian Army goes like this:
Lt. Gen Awdhesh Prakash, Military Secretary, Indian Army,
Lt Gen. Ramesh Halgali, Commander 11 Corps , Jalandhar,
Lt Gen. P.K. Rath, Deputy Chief Designate,
Maj. Gen P.Sen (then Brigadier), and
Two Colonels who were grilled at COI (Court of Inquiry).
Lt. Gen. Prakash is currently posted as Military Secretary at the army headquarters in Delhi. Lt Gen Rath was all set to go to the Army Headquarters as Deputy Chief but his posting has been kept in abeyance pending the probe.
The court of enquiry has found Lt. Gen. Awadesh Prakash, "blameworthy", said an official, not divulging further details of the findings of the report.
An Army Court of Inquiry (COI) headed by Tezpur-based 4 Corps Commander Lt Gen K T Parnaik has indicted Military Secretary Lt Gen Awadhesh Prakash and Lt Gen P K Rath for their role in issuing a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to a private establishment that falsely claimed to be establishing an affiliate of the famed Ajmer-based Mayo College. (It is noteworthy here that preliminary Army probe had revealed that the institution had no connection with Mayo College, the premise under which the NOC was issued.)
The Army is tight-lipped about the deal. Lt. Gen Prakash agreed to give away the Army land on long lease to a private educational firm though the earlier Commanders had rejected the proposal on security reasons as an Army helipad is close by. A no objection certificate is mandatory for sale of land adjacent to military stations due to security reasons. According to sources Gen Prakash was promised a plum post by the private company after his retirement.
The Court of Inquiry into the Darjeeling land scam case has brought out that a Siliguri real estate developer Dilip Agarwal and Lt General Awdhesh Prakash were in constant touch while a dubious Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was being drafted to clinch the land deal.
However, an army projection in December 2008 had highlighted that the land - located near the 33 Corps headquarters in Sukhna - be acquired by the army for security reasons.
The CoI has established through phone records that real estate developer Dilip Agarwal, who inked the MoU to obtain No Objection Certificates from the Army for 71 acres near the 33 Corps HQ in Sukna Cantonment, was in constant touch with Lt Gen Avadhesh Prakash, Military Secretary (MS) at Army HQ, while the deal was being sealed.
While Lt Gen Prakash did not have a direct role in granting the NOCs, the CoI has brought out that he used his influence as one of the senior most officers in the Army to ensure that the deal went through.
Lt Gen Prakash had 'coerced' Lt Gen Rath to strike the deal. Since Gen Prakash was Incharge of promotions and other matters, Gen Rath agreed to the deal.
The case, which is turning out to be a big 300+ Crore scandal involving top Army officers, unravelled after it came to light that a massive land deal in Sukna is cleared by the Army against norms.
The army had initially refused an NOC for selling the land adjacent to the Sukna military station but the decision was reportedly reversed by the senior officers. Also the documents relating to the NOC were forged and the original documents rejecting the NOC were replaced with forged papers in the army records.
Lt Gen Prakash, who was called to Kolkata for questioning in the case, admitted he had known Agarwal for more than a decade. He was called for questioning after Lt Gen P K Rath, whose appointment as Deputy Chief of Army Staff has since been scrapped by the Ministry of Defence, told the CoI that an educational institution had been recommended by Lt Gen Prakash and that he was just following the orders by Lt. Gen Prakash.
The inquiry has also established that Lt Gen Prakash was in constant touch with Lt Gen Rath and Agarwal while the deal was being struck.
The following phone records were presented at the CoI:
- February 7: Lt Gen Prakash called Dilip Agarwal a day before the 33 Corps HQ gave an undertaking to the Commissioner General of Land Reforms, West Bengal on February 8 that the Army had "no objection if an educational institution and residential facility is set up in the proposed land measuring about 71 acres". This MoU was in direct contradiction to an earlier projection made by the Army in December 2008 that the land should be acquired by the military for security reasons.
- March 19: A day before the MoU was to be signed, Agarwal and Lt Gen Prakash spoke four times between 10.30 am and 12.40 pm. This was allegedly the time when the MoU was being drafted in Darjeeling.
- March 20: The day the MoU granting NoC's for transfer of land was signed between the Army and the educational institution, Agarwal spoke to Lt Gen Prakash on his official phone number at Army HQ at 10.49 am. At 3.49 pm, after the MoU had been signed, Agarwal spoke to Lt Gen Prakash again, this time on his mobile. Agarwal was one of the persons who signed the MoU with the Army.
It was also probed as per the statement by the real estate developer himself that Lt Gen Prakash was being offered the role to head the upcoming school as a Director if the deal went through.
I would like to reiterate few words from Senior Army Official that "if an Officer of such a cadre is corrupt, that means he has not become corrupt all of a sudden, it means he has been corrupt for a long time until it was found." As usual, Army has been asked to expedite the inquiry and fix responsibility at the earliest by Defence Ministry.
According to trusted sources, apart from personal visits by Lt Gen Awdhesh Prakash, Dilip Agrawal has been favouring Lt. Gen Awdhesh Prakash and his wife in terms of shopping, presents and few more lucrative offers during their visits to Siliguri and more and he did even offered him to take retirement and join him and make more money than what he is making in Army. (So there might be a cake involved in the deal too.)
Let's see what turn events are going to take up in next few days as the heat is still on and the nation demands explanation from these "Celebrity Officer Breed" cropping up here and there in the system and spoiling the reputation of the Organization.
Wait and watch these Three C's of System unfolding in the best of their ways.
The CoI has established through phone records that real estate developer Dilip Agarwal, who inked the MoU to obtain No Objection Certificates from the Army for 71 acres near the 33 Corps HQ in Sukna Cantonment, was in constant touch with Lt Gen Avadhesh Prakash, Military Secretary (MS) at Army HQ, while the deal was being sealed.
While Lt Gen Prakash did not have a direct role in granting the NOCs, the CoI has brought out that he used his influence as one of the senior most officers in the Army to ensure that the deal went through.
Lt Gen Prakash had 'coerced' Lt Gen Rath to strike the deal. Since Gen Prakash was Incharge of promotions and other matters, Gen Rath agreed to the deal.
The case, which is turning out to be a big 300+ Crore scandal involving top Army officers, unravelled after it came to light that a massive land deal in Sukna is cleared by the Army against norms.
The army had initially refused an NOC for selling the land adjacent to the Sukna military station but the decision was reportedly reversed by the senior officers. Also the documents relating to the NOC were forged and the original documents rejecting the NOC were replaced with forged papers in the army records.
Lt Gen Prakash, who was called to Kolkata for questioning in the case, admitted he had known Agarwal for more than a decade. He was called for questioning after Lt Gen P K Rath, whose appointment as Deputy Chief of Army Staff has since been scrapped by the Ministry of Defence, told the CoI that an educational institution had been recommended by Lt Gen Prakash and that he was just following the orders by Lt. Gen Prakash.
The inquiry has also established that Lt Gen Prakash was in constant touch with Lt Gen Rath and Agarwal while the deal was being struck.
The following phone records were presented at the CoI:
- February 7: Lt Gen Prakash called Dilip Agarwal a day before the 33 Corps HQ gave an undertaking to the Commissioner General of Land Reforms, West Bengal on February 8 that the Army had "no objection if an educational institution and residential facility is set up in the proposed land measuring about 71 acres". This MoU was in direct contradiction to an earlier projection made by the Army in December 2008 that the land should be acquired by the military for security reasons.
- March 19: A day before the MoU was to be signed, Agarwal and Lt Gen Prakash spoke four times between 10.30 am and 12.40 pm. This was allegedly the time when the MoU was being drafted in Darjeeling.
- March 20: The day the MoU granting NoC's for transfer of land was signed between the Army and the educational institution, Agarwal spoke to Lt Gen Prakash on his official phone number at Army HQ at 10.49 am. At 3.49 pm, after the MoU had been signed, Agarwal spoke to Lt Gen Prakash again, this time on his mobile. Agarwal was one of the persons who signed the MoU with the Army.
It was also probed as per the statement by the real estate developer himself that Lt Gen Prakash was being offered the role to head the upcoming school as a Director if the deal went through.
I would like to reiterate few words from Senior Army Official that "if an Officer of such a cadre is corrupt, that means he has not become corrupt all of a sudden, it means he has been corrupt for a long time until it was found." As usual, Army has been asked to expedite the inquiry and fix responsibility at the earliest by Defence Ministry.
According to trusted sources, apart from personal visits by Lt Gen Awdhesh Prakash, Dilip Agrawal has been favouring Lt. Gen Awdhesh Prakash and his wife in terms of shopping, presents and few more lucrative offers during their visits to Siliguri and more and he did even offered him to take retirement and join him and make more money than what he is making in Army. (So there might be a cake involved in the deal too.)
Let's see what turn events are going to take up in next few days as the heat is still on and the nation demands explanation from these "Celebrity Officer Breed" cropping up here and there in the system and spoiling the reputation of the Organization.
Wait and watch these Three C's of System unfolding in the best of their ways.
"Corps, Corrosion and Corruption" converting to "Core Corrosion by Corruption"
1 comment:
The Indian Army is facing one of the toughest challenges in this era. In this time of peace and prosperity very few talented people want to join one of India’s coveted organization and serve motherland. The reason is not only more challenging and professional careers available for youngster but current army’s top brass involved in scandals and scams. This would definitely affect the morals of ranks and youths who are willing to join this deemed organization.
Corruption is in our blood and Col Pratap and others have proved it time and again. There is no way we can justify such scams and officers. I have high regards for Mr. A. K Antony (Defense Minister) and I would be very much surprise if these officers would be dealt with leniency.
Dr. Manmohan Singh said, "CBI and other investigating agencies have to catch big fishes." Madhu Koda and Col Pratap & gang are amongst top criminals which are involved in some of biggest financial and land scams. These kinds of people do not realize that Naxalites and anti national groups get encouragement because of their actions and whole of the country and innocent people have to suffer.
26/11 in Mumbai, Separatist in Kashmir, Bombing in North eastern states of country, attacks in red corridors and other major & minor attacks within Indian soil could be possible because of these kind of people. If today Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are entering in our country illegally, some ways these Cols and Brigadiers are responsible. These Cols and Brigadiers should be held responsible for the petty bribe of 50-100 RS, which BSF or Army Jawan takes for allowing infiltrators to our country.
We have given them respect, money and all possible luxuries to demonstrate honesty, courage and transparency in their professional and personal life. However they are failed to do so. When prize for General Manekshaw for showing the valor, is of highest standard, why punishment for General Pratap & gang should be of lower standard for dishonesty.
This is the demand of time that we should identify the ‘Jayachands’ in our army and public life otherwise many Gauris are sitting out side to repeat the history.
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