Two serving major-generals, both reportedly recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) last year, face a CBI probe for allegedly having assets disproportionate to their known sources of income a
Two serving major-generals, both reportedly recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) last year, face a CBI probe for allegedly having assets disproportionate to their known sources of income after the defence ministry ordered the action, MoD sources have confirmed.
“The MoD has forwarded to the CBI complaints received against the two major-generals and has sought a reply,” MoD sources said, adding that the government will not tolerate corruption at any level. The CBI will now look into the complaints and report back to the MoD.
News agencies reported that both senior officers had been conferred the AVSM in 2015. It is a military honour to recognise “distinguished service of an exceptional order”. In September, the MoD red-flagged the promotion of a few officers after allegations of impropriety.
Giving the background of the case, sources were cited as saying a meeting of the Army’s special promotion board was held last year to fill the vacancy of three lieutenant-generals, for which 33 officers were considered. A set of names cleared by the board was sent to the MoD. But after the board’s meeting, a series of complaints against some officers surfaced, many of which were also being circulated on social media sites.
Taking cognisance of this, defence minister Manohar Parrikar himself looked into the matter. It was found one of the two officers had faced a CBI inquiry a few years back over allegations of corruption in a project undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation, sources said.
At that time, the CBI had not found enough evidence for criminal prosecution. “They suggested this does not fall in the ambit of criminality, it falls in the ambit of disciplinary procedure guidelines”, sources were quoted as saying.
“The BRO is a mixed-cadre organisation. The matter came to the Army. The Army said the act pertained to civilian issues and hence action could not be taken up by them. The matter got tossed from here to there, as Army disciplinary proceedings are different from civilian ones,” the sources said, adding that no actual proceedings had been started.
In the meantime, the officer’s promotion came up and he reportedly got the discipline and vigilance clearance since there were no formal proceedings against him.
