Overruling the army chief, defence minister A.K. Antony has asked for disciplinary proceedings that may lead to a court martial against the military secretary, Lt Gen. Avadhesh Prakash, after he was indicted by an internal inquiry in the Sukna land transfer case. Army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor had issued a showcause notice to Prakash demanding an explanation why administrative action should not be taken against him as "The Telegraph" stated.
Lt Gen Prakash is due to retire at the end of this week and Senior officers in army headquarters are scheduled to attend his “dining out” farewell party tomorrow. If a court martial is ordered, Lt Gen Prakash will have to appear before it even after his retirement on January 31. Antony had made his views known to the army chief after the military secretary had responded to the showcause notice on 25th January. Lt Gen Prakash may be the seniormost officer to be court-martialled.
The move to direct a switch from “administrative action” to “disciplinary action” can be seen as evidence of the mild-mannered Antony having concluded that the army chief was being too protective of his principal staff officer.
It also means that the government has taken the Sukna land transfer issue as much larger than a case of suspected corruption involving the military secretary and Siliguri-based realtor Dilip Agarwal.
More important, it was a breach of security rules in the strategic “chicken’s neck” or Siliguri Corridor. This was brought out in the report of the court of inquiry convened by Lt. Gen. V.K. Singh.“Administrative action” can mean non-recordable censure, recordable censure or sacking. While the censure can be given by the army chief, it is only the government that can terminate the services of an officer as punishment. After the investigation in Calcutta the army chief issued a showcause notice to Prakash asking him to explain why administrative action should not be taken against him. A source in the army headquarters said the chief was contemplating a “censure”.
Court martial sentences can vary from censure to cashiering (being stripped of rank and privileges and dismissal).
By ordering disciplinary proceedings against Prakash, Antony has sent a political message too that the instrument of court martial will now be used against senior officers also.
It also means that the government has taken the Sukna land transfer issue as much larger than a case of suspected corruption involving the military secretary and Siliguri-based realtor Dilip Agarwal.
More important, it was a breach of security rules in the strategic “chicken’s neck” or Siliguri Corridor. This was brought out in the report of the court of inquiry convened by Lt. Gen. V.K. Singh.“Administrative action” can mean non-recordable censure, recordable censure or sacking. While the censure can be given by the army chief, it is only the government that can terminate the services of an officer as punishment. After the investigation in Calcutta the army chief issued a showcause notice to Prakash asking him to explain why administrative action should not be taken against him. A source in the army headquarters said the chief was contemplating a “censure”.
Court martial sentences can vary from censure to cashiering (being stripped of rank and privileges and dismissal).
By ordering disciplinary proceedings against Prakash, Antony has sent a political message too that the instrument of court martial will now be used against senior officers also.
The grass is no more OG for those who think OG
No comments:
Post a Comment