After Parrikar prod, CBI to probe two serving Major Gens

Two serving Major Generals, recipients of last year’s Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, are facing  a CBI probe for allegedly having assets disproportionate to their known sources of income after the Defence Ministry ordered the action.

The Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) is a military honour given to recognise “distinguished service of an exceptional order”.

“The Defence Ministry has forwarded to the CBI complaints received against Maj Gen Ashok Kumar and Maj Gen SS Lamba and has sought a reply,” defence sources said on Thursday, adding that the government will not tolerate corruption at any level.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will now look into the complaints and report back to the Ministry.  

The Ministry had in September last red-flagged the promotion of certain officers, following allegations of impropriety.

Giving a background to the case, sources said that a meeting of the Special Promotion Board of the Army was held last year to fill the vacancy of three Lieutenant Generals for which about 33 officers were considered.

A set of names cleared by the Board was sent to the Defence Ministry. However, following the meeting of the Board, a series of complaints against some officers surfaced, many of which were being circulated on the social media too. Taking cognizance of the matter, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar himself looked into the issue.

It was found that one of the two officers, against whom the Ministry has roped in the agency, had faced a CBI inquiry few years back over allegations of corruption in a project undertaken by Border Roads Organisation, sources said. The CBI did not find enough evidence for criminal prosecution. “They suggested that this does not fall in the ambit of criminality, it falls in the ambit of disciplinary procedure guidelines”, they added.

“BRO is a mixed cadre organisation. The matter came to the Army. The Army said that the act pertained to civilian issues and hence action cannot be taken up by them.