Land ScamAntony orders court martial of Lt GenAjay BanerjeeTribune: Vet. Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Land ScamAntony orders court martial of
Lt GenAjay Banerjee Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 27Virtually cracking the whip

and differing from the opinion of the Indian Army

chief, Defence Minister AK Antony today recommended

that court martial proceedings be initiated against

military secretary Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash.
Army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor had recommended only

a milder “administrative action” against Lt Gen Prakash

and two others, Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali and Major-Gen P

Sen, while he okayed disciplinary proceedings against Lt

Gen PK Rath in what is now known as the “Darjeeling land

scam”. Administrative action is a mild reprimand when

compared with disciplinary proceedings, which can lead

up to a court martial.
The advice of the Defence Minister had reached the Army

chief this evening, sources said while confirming the

developments. Such an advice coming from the Defence

Minister was unprecedented. The onus is now on the Army

chief to take action. Sources said the Army chief is “unlikely

to differ on the Defence Minister’s advice” and it was likely

that General Prakash will not escape unscathed.
Last week, Adjutant-General Lt Gen Mukesh Sabharwal acting

on the advice of the Army chief issued notices for taking

administrative action against Military Secretary General

Prakash and others. General Prakash, who is to retire on

January 31, has replied to the notice, sources said today.
Last week, Antony had questioned the Army chief as to why

different yardsticks were applied in deciding the nature of

action against four senior Generals. The court of inquiry ordered

by the Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen VK Singh had indicted

two officers, including General Prakash, for their role in issuing

a no-objection certificate to a private establishment that falsely

claimed to be establishing an affiliate of the well known

Ajmer-based Mayo College on land adjacent to the Sukna

military station in Darjeeling district.
On Saturday, General Kapoor had explained to the defence

ministry why he wanted only an administrative action against

Prakash while the COI ordered by General VK Singh had wanted

General Prakash be sacked. The Army chief ’s ruling given on

January 11 was in contrast to the recommendation of the COI

and that had prompted Antony to seek a reply.
The Defence Minister had reportedly asked General Kapoor as

towhat was the basis to take disciplinary action against only

one of the four senior Generals who were facing a probe.
Lt Gen Rath, is his earlier capacity as commander of the 33 corps

at Darjeeling, had a major role in of signing of a memorandum

of understanding with a private realtor for a 70-acre plot

adjacent to the military station near Darjeeling. Rath during the

court of inquiry had blamed the military secretary for putting

pressure on him to allow the MoU.

Veteran Prbahjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Mob:098554-09128 Telefax:0175-5000896.