Ghost distributors of Reebook India siphon off Rs 870 crores

Reebok India case: Corporate mismanagement led to scam
New Delhi, Sep 23, 2012, (PTI):
Agencies probing the alleged Rs 870 crore corporate fraud in the operation of Reebok India have detected a systemic "mismanagement" in the business planning and running of the company reportedly done by some of its officials and employees.
Three different agencies -- the I-T department under Finance Ministry, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under Corporate Affairs Ministry and the Economic Offences Wing of Gurgaon police -- have recorded the findings almost four months after a criminal case was filed by Reebok India against two of its former employees.
"The governance and operations in the company were mismanaged. The bills were inflated and not recorded correctly. So, the probe clearly indicates that it was not a corporate scam in the apparel manufacturing firm but it was non-adherence to the rules and guidelines of business procedures in the firm," sources privy to the probe said.M
The guidelines under the Companies Act were violated which is suspected to have led to other contraventions like tax evasion, they said.
The I-T which has indicated to an alleged Rs 140 crore tax evasion in the case, the sources said, will now work to ensure that the company, later, does not claim any "bad debt".
A bad debt is that amount that is owed to a business or individual and has to be written off by the creditor as a loss because the debt cannot be collected because of a host of reasons.
"There were no serious borrowings or lendings of Reebok India. The probe agencies investigation will make sure that the firm does not qualify to claim bad debt from anywhere in the later course," they said.
Probe agencies have also found that some of the officials of the company could have been involved in the inflation of bills and over-valuation of the goods of the firm.
In the much publicised criminal complaint filed at the Gurgaon police's Economic Offence Wing in May, Reebok India had alleged that its former Managing Director Subhinder Singh Prem and Chief Operating Officer Vishnu Bhagat were involved in a Rs 870-crore fraud by indulging in "criminal conspiracy" and "fraudulent" practises over a period of time.
Gurgaon police had some days back arrested Singh and Bhagat along with three others -- Sanjay Mishra, Prashant Bhatnagar and Surakshit Bhat.
Singh and Bhat were booked for fraud, criminal conspiracy and other charges under IPC for allegedly siphoning off the sportswear company's money by creating ghost distributors across the country and generating forged bills over the last five years.
While the I-T is scrutinising documents related to accounts and imports of the firm, the SFIO is probing the entire governance affairs of the company under Section 235 of the Companies Act.
According to sources, the probe agencies also do not rule out the culpability of accounting officials of the firm at this stage for their "deliberate" or "mistaken oversight" in account books which led to the alleged financial irregularities.
Reebok India duped Rs 870 crores
Comment: Reebok is an American-inspired, global brand that creates and markets sports and lifestyle products built upon a strong heritage and authenticity in sports, fitness and women’s categories. Right now they are learning lessons of Fakes, Business Ethics and Fraud!

CSD: Defence canteen products under scanner

The CDA believes that Hygiene is not the only matter of concern. The defence auditor has also objected to the 'arbitrary and opaque' manner of functioning of the CSD, leading to 'poor quality products with little brand value' being supplied to the defence personnel.

Curry, toothbrushes, pasta and whisky are under scrutiny after the Controller of Defence Accounts charged that the canteen did not follow guidelines, including hygiene checks.

Read more: Click here

Labyrinthine corruption in CSD Canteens: Jawans sold spurious and date expired foodstuff

Courtesy: Mail Today
Buying defence canteen products? You might be compromising with your health
Abhishek Bhalla
New Delhi, Sunday, September 2, 2012 | 09:27 IST
Families of defence personnel buying cheaper beverages and grocery items from the canteen stores department (CSD) may be compromising with their health.
The Controller of Defence Accounts (CDA) has questioned the quality of products being sold at the CSD at subsidised rates.
According to the laid-out guidelines, food items, liquor and beverages have to be scrutinised for hygiene standards. This, the CDA believes, is not being done at the CDS. Hygiene is not the only matter of concern. The defence auditor has also objecting to the "arbitrary and opaque" manner of functioning of the CSD, leading to "poor quality products with little brand value" being supplied to the defence personnel.
Here is an example of the bizarre functioning. A floor wiper manufacturer is also a supplier of Kesaria Thandai in the defence canteen.
These issues have been highlighted by the CDA in its recent correspondence to the Ministry of Defence. "It is incomprehensible how a wiper manufacturer is accepted to supply thandai to the CSD and that too without factory inspection and hygiene report," one of the communications between the Defence auditor and ministry said.
Mail Today is in the possession of a series of letters sent by Savitur Prasad, principal controller, CDA, to the ministry questioning the functioning of the CSD.
The communication made available to Delhi based RTI activist Subhash Agarwal indicts the canteen for being "wrapped in corrupt practices, thereby cheating several families of defence personnel dependent on it". The CDA points out that the defence personnel are forced to buy low-quality products from unknown firms. Nargis tea, Preet Lite cooking oil, Valeda herbal cream and Nuzen Herbal gold hair oil are just some of the lesser- known brands that are common at the CSD. Objecting to the "ineligible" firms supplying products to the canteen, the CDA said: "It's a travesty of faith that age-old loyalties of defence personnel have been breached." This is not the first time the CSD has faced flak for its operations.
The Comptroller and Auditor General had highlighted the "irregularities" in the CSD in its 2010-11 report.
"Evidence gathered in the audit indicated that in the absence of relevant controls, there was a significant risk of sale of perished stores to the consumers. From 2003 to 2009, out of 11,254 samples referred to the composite food laboratory, 349 (3.1 per cent) were found unsatisfactory. It took about 1 to 13 months for the groceries and two months for food items to obtain the test results. By that time, the stock of unfit items was sold," the report said.
The Defence auditor, in its May 16, 2012, communication, has reiterated the objections.
"I am writing to highlight the malady that ails the Canteen Stores Department and requires immediate attention. Instead of groping in the dark about the functioning of the CSD, which is considered to be a mascot of organised procurement system, an insight will reveal the labyrinthine corruption prevailing in the organisation," the letter read.
Defence officials, though not displeased with the CSD products, want quality check of every item.
"If the CDA is constructive in its approach there is no problem. We definitely need the highest level of efficiency in the working of CSD. In the past also there have been charges that sub-standard products are being sold at the canteen. They (CSD) are supposed to have quality checks and they should be carried out," a former naval officer, Commodore (retd) Uday Bhaskar, said.
Buying defence canteen products? You might be compromising with your health
Click here to read all about the CSD with links
Comment: The spurious and unhygienic foodstuff sold in CSD canteens is also finding its way into the civil market. The electrical products sold are also sometimes fakes. The ISI marking is given based on bribes palmed off to the Testing Agencies. The sole Mission of CSD is to spin money by any corrupt means. The MOD and AHQ are party to duping the Jawans. The complete civilian military nexus needs a shake- up and complete overhaul from top to the lower rung. The CSD Depots are filled with RATS and Scumbags.

Gross irregularities in CSD

04 sep 2012
A series of communications between Controller of Defence Accounts and the Defence Ministry reveals how gross irregularities occurred in the purchases in defence canteens across the country.
The exchange of letters between the auditors and Ministry exposes the tough resistance by forces to adhere to financial transparency in canteen purchases, involving thousands of crores per year.
“I am writing to highlight the malady that ails the Canteen Stores Department (CSD) and requires immediate attention. CSD has been held in such high esteem that it is almost sacrilegious to doubt their infallibility. Instead of groping in the dark about the functioning of CSD, which is considered to be a mascot of organised procurement system, an insight will reveal the labyrinthine corruption prevailing in the organisation.
“On the one hand the Government is endeavoring to climb the ladders of transparency, accountability, probity in public procurement process and to enhance public confidence in procurement by introducing the “The Public Procurement Bill, 2012” in Parliament, the system followed in CSD is highly opaque, discretionary, providing high degree of arbitrariness,” said Savitur Prasad, the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts in a communication to several officials of Defence Ministry including the Defence Secretary.
The series of letters between the Auditor and Ministry, obtained through RTI by activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal, says the procurements through nearly half of the vendors are by doubtful methods.
“There are about 600 firms supplying more than 4,000 items to CSD. Almost 200-300 firms provide product whose credentials in consumer market are hardly established. The details of factory inspection and hygiene report be made public by placing on the internet, which may unravel the truth of empanelling such firms.
“It is a travesty of faith that the age old loyalties of defence personnel being stoically dependent on CSD, have been breached by PSC (Preliminary Screening Committee), by introducing product from ineligible firm,” said the auditor of defence accounts.
The auditor has pointed out several malpractices in listing a product and absence of obtaining hygiene certificates for the items sold in canteens.
There are around 34 CSDs across the country and more than 4,500 Unit Run Canteens under it to cater the 17 lakh soldiers of Army, Navy and Air Force and their families.
Two years back, the CAG was allowed to audit CSD accounts after countering stiff opposition from forces. But till date, forces are adamant not to allow the audit by CAG in its 4,500 Unit Run Canteens.
Public Accounts Committee of Parliament headed by Murli Manohar Joshi had directed Defence Ministry to go for the CAG auditing in Unit Run Canteens in December 2011. But till date, forces as well as the Defence Ministry have not yet responded positively to the mandatory directions of the PAC. The Ministry is expected to revert back to PAC by September first week, after having sought postponement of implementation deadlines many a times.-via The Pioneer
Gross irregularities in CSD

MHA now has Fake CBI Officials

Three arrested for cheating people by posing as CBI officials Press Trust of India | Updated: May 06, 2012 22:58 IST NDTV Report
New Delhi: Three persons, including a senior scientific officer of Central Forensic Science Laboratory and an employee of Revenue department, were today arrested for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy and cheating people by posing as CBI officials and demanding bribe. The CBI conducted searches based on a complaint from a property dealer in Ghaziabad against A R Arora, Senior Scientific Officer working with CFSL, alleging that he had threatened him with police action by lodging a complaint against him.
CBI examined the complaint and registered a case against Arora, an assistant posted in Department of Revenue Shiv Charan, a private person identified as Manish Sharma and an official of Central Excise Department under various sections of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, CBI spokesperson said.
After registering cases, the CBI carried out searches at various places in Delhi and Karnal in Haryana and claimed to have recovered Rs. three lakh in cash from Arora's residence.According to the CBI spokesperson, it was alleged that the Senior Scientific Officer, while introducing himself as Additional Deputy Director CBI, falsely informed a property dealer based in Ghaziabad that a complaint against him was pending, for which the property dealer was required to visit h Arora is alleged to have threatened the property dealer that he would use his powers and register a criminal case against him and later advised him to get the matter pursued through Sharma by giving illegal gratification for settling the "complaint", which was false, the spokesperson said.
In another case, Arora is alleged to have actually carried out an illegal and unauthorised search at the premises of some businessman in order to obtain illegal gratification, the spokesperson said.
It was alleged that an employee of Shiv Charan, an assistant in the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, an official of Central Excise and Manish Sharma introduced themselves as public servants with powers to carry out search operations, and conducted illegal and unauthorised searches.
After the searches, they demanded an illegal gratification from the businessman to abate the search proceedings and allegedly received a huge amount as bribe, the spokesperson said.
click here for the original post: Three arrested for cheating people by posing as CBI officials
CBI and Chidambaram
CBI likely to whitewash Armsgate scam: ROOTS OF POWER by MADHAV NALAPAT

Chennai leads in Fakes

CHENNAI, January 31, 2012
Gang arrested with stash of fake certificates, seals
Washermenpet police on Sunday busted a four-member gang that made fake government certificates, ration cards and school mark sheets. Over 800 certificates, government seals and screen printing boards were seized.
According to Washermenpet police sources, those arrested were Jayaraman (64) and Perumal (74), both from Royapuram and Duraipal (50) from Ponneri and Moorthy (48) from Tiruvottiyur. Duraipal and Moorthy who have screen printing expertise used to forge all kinds of government certificates, including Community, Birth and Income Tax certificates, and also Standard 10th and 12th mark sheets.
Jayaraman and Perumal used to hang around government offices and target people who came to obtain government certificates, sources added. “The two men would offer to get the certificates for the victims in a few days after collecting the details. Duraipal and Moorthy would then print the necessary certificate at a screen printing press in Tiruvottiyur or their homes and hand it over to Jayaraman and Perumal. They would in turn sell the fake certificates as real for a price ranging from Rs.500 to Rs.1,000 each,” said T. Veera Kumar, Inspector of Police, Washermenpet.
Following information provided by Arun Kumar (28) of New Washermenpet, regarding two men offering to get a birth certificate outside the Corporation Zonal office in Basin Bridge, a Washermenpet police team arrested Jayaraman and Perumal.
Duraipal and Moorthy were also arrested and more than 800 fake government certificates, 28 seals with government stamps of various departments and schools and 19 screen printing boards used to make the certificates were seized, police added.
The men were remanded to custody and sent to Puzhal prison on Monday. Police are identifying those persons who purchased the fake documents from the gang
Gang Arrested with stash of fakes and seals

'Serious fraud probe' into ex-servicemen job scam

'Serious fraud probe' into ex-servicemen job scam
New Delhi (IANS): The Defence Ministry on Sunday handed over the probe into a job racket for ex-servicemen to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in the Corporate Affairs Ministry.
Several senior officers of the Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) have been found guilty in an internal inquiry.

The case involves a private company, Ex-Servicemen Airlink Transport Service Pvt Ltd (EATS), and the fraud took place under a scheme for ex-servicemen. Under the scheme, security agencies run by retired defence personnel were given contracts to provide service to central public sector undertakings.

The Defence Ministry found substance in allegations of subletting of security agencies for obtaining multiple benefits by a few officers of the ex-servicemen welfare department.

"The Defence Ministry has decided to request the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to hand over to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) the case relating to private company EATS for further investigation," a Defence Ministry spokesperson said.

"Action is also being initiated against the officers mentioned in the inquiry report who flouted the extant norms and guidelines of various schemes, and thus were involved in administrative improprieties," the spokesman said in a statement.

The move comes as the Defence Ministry initiated a series of measures after an inquiry found substance in allegations regarding subletting of security agencies and obtaining multiple benefits by a few ex-servicemen officers.

This was part of a drive to ensure transparency in the functioning of DGR office. DGR is an attached office of department of ex-servicemen welfare, which is responsible for training and rehabilitation of retiring defence personnel and ex-servicemen.
'Serious fraud probe' into ex-servicemen job scam

Recruitment Scam dupes many aspirants

Ex-armyman arrested in recruitment scam
A retired Indian Army personnel and a woman from Assam have been arrested in New Delhi for duping thousand of people across the country on the pretext of providing jobs in the Indian Army, police said Wednesday.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police received a complaint that Ravinder Chauhan claiming to be a Major of Indian Army has duped 38 job seekers to the tune of Rs.1 crore on the promise of getting them jobs in Assam Rifles.

Chauhan told police that he used to impersonate as a Major in Indian Army duped crores of rupees from job seekers and Archana Singha of Assam was the mastermind of the racket.

A raid was conducted at Jorhat and Singha was also arrested. Singha told police that she was behind the racket.

Chauhan joined Rastriya Rifles in 2003 and in 2007, while he was posted at Baramula in Jammu an Kashmir, he got injured and was declared unfit for further service. He got in touch with Singha and collected money from more than 400 people to the tune of more than Rs.3 crore.

In 2007-2008, recruitment of Assam Rifles was held in Jorhat where she came in contact with a doctor who was Major in Assam Rifles and succeeded in getting three to four people appointed.

She earned Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000 from candidate in the recruitment.

Similarly, in 2008-2009 she got a few candidates appointed of Assam Rifles held at Cooch in Bihar, however, she collected money from several candidates.

She began to appoint agents in different parts of India. Agents were made in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, MP, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Meghalya, Manipur, Nagaland and Hyderabad.

The agents used to allure students by promising them jobs and used to collect Rs.25,000 to Rs.1 lakh per candidate as advance.

Thereafter, Singha would ask her agents to bring all the candidates to Assam and would ask them to stay in some hotel.

She would manage some fake doctors and officers and would get candidates of Assam Rifles medically examined in the hotel.

She would also get signed a blank answer sheet from them. Thereafter, she would send them back and would ask them to wait for the result and appointment letters.

After some time, she would send a photocopy of provisional appointment letters to her agents and would ask them to deposit rest of the money before giving them original appointment letters.

She used to earn Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per candidate from the agents. After collecting rest of the money she and her agents would not take their calls.

Till now, they have cheated around more than 1000 job seekers and have collected money to the tune of more than Rs.10 crore.

‘More than 90 Bank accounts of different banks were freezed,’ said Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Chand.

Ravinder Chauhan was nabbed from the railway station in his Honda City car following a on tip-off. ‘He was carrying a pistol along-with 15 live cartridges and an arm licence purportedly issued from Jammu and Kashmir,’ said Chand adding that the license was found be to be fake
Ex-armyman arrested in recruitment scam

Gujarat removes red tape and curbs corruption

Gujarat best example of effective governance: US Congressional report
Press Trust of India, Updated: September 14, 2011 16:56 IST
Washington: Identifying Gujarat as, perhaps, the best example of effective governance and impressive development in India, a Congressional report showered praise on Chief Minister Narendra Modi and said that the state under him has become a key driver of national economic growth.

Gujarat is followed by Bihar and its Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his governance and administrative skills, the latest report of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) on India said.

"Perhaps India's best example of effective governance and impressive development is found in Gujarat, where controversial Chief Minister Narendra Modi has streamlined economic processes, removing red tape and curtailing corruption in ways that have made the state a key driver of national economic growth," said the CRS report.

An independent and bipartisan wing of the US Congress, the CRS prepares periodic reports on issues of interest to the US lawmakers.

The 94-page report was released by the CRS for US lawmakers on September 1, a copy of which made public by the Federation of American Scientists.

"Seeking to overcome the taint of his alleged complicity in 2002 riots, Modi has overseen heavy investment in modern roads and power infrastructure, and annual growth of more than 11 per cent in recent years," the CRS said.

Gujarat, the CRS said, has attracted major international investors such as General Motors and Mitsubishi and with only five per cent of the country's population, the state now accounts for more than one-fifth of India's exports, it said. The CRS mentions Bihar after Gujarat in good governance.

"Another positive example in 2011 has been Bihar, one of India's poorest states, where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has won national attention through his considerable success in emphasising good governance over caste-based politics.

"He is credited with restoring law and order across much of the state, as well as overseeing infrastructure and educational improvements of direct benefit to common citizens projects," the report said.

"Kumar's Janata Dal (United) party, in alliance with the main national opposition BJP, won an overwhelming reelection majority in November 2010 state elections," the report said.

Reacting to the report, Mr Modi - emboldened by the Supreme Court's decision to not monitor the case against him in connection with the riots at Gulbarg Society in 2002 - tweeted, "Another recognition for 6 crore Gujaratis. US report hails Guj's effective governance. Jay Jay Garvi Guj."

The examples set in by Chief Ministers Modi and Kumar may have inspired the popular leader of India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh.

"Chief Minister Mayawati, who is widely believed to maintain national political ambitions and was at the forefront of a nascent "Third Front" in 2009, has shifted her own focus much more toward infrastructure projects such as road-building and improving the state's poor energy grid," the report said.

The CRS also refers to the ongoing Telangana movement in Andhra Pradesh, and the new Trinamool-Congress rule in West Bengal.

As West Bengal's new Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee is faced with repairing one of India's poorest states.
Read more at: Gujarat best example of effective governance

Delhi HC blast: Investigators still grappling for clues

8 Sep, 2011, 06.23PM IST, IANS
NEW DELHI: Investigators probing the Delhi High Court bombing were on Thursday grappling for clues to identify the perpetrators, a day after a powerful explosion outside the complex killed 12 people.

"Investigation teams of the NIA ( National Investigation Agency) are vigorously pursuing various leads with the cooperation of Delhi Police," U.K. Bansal, secretary (internal security) in the home ministry, told reporters.
He said forensic experts summoned from Gujarat and Hyderabad to assist in the investigation again scanned the scene of the crime Thursday.
"They have found some more material which may have relevance to the investigation," Bansal said, indicating that there was no concrete evidence related to the explosives used in the bomb.
He, however, said traces of a mixture of nitrate and PETN, (pentaerythritol trinitrate), have been found but that was not conlcusive.
"We will let you know about the forenic report when it comes," he said.

The NIA has also detained some suspects related to the bombing, including three in Jammu and Kashmir.
Those detained include two owners of a cyber cafe in Kishtwar district of the state who were questioned about the person who had sent an email claiming responsibility for the blast.
The email, attributed to the Harkat-ul Jehadi Islami, was found to have been been sent from Global Internet Cafe at Malik Market in Kishtwar, once a militancy hub in Jammu region.
On questioning the owners of the cafe, investigators garnered some information about how the sender of the email looked.
"We have got some details about the physical features of the person. Police parties have been deputed to trace him," a senior police officer working on the investigations told IANS.
Bansal also said that "some information pointing to a Kashmir connection with the email received" was being pursued with the help of the Kashmir police.
The email theory got a new twist on the day after the blast as another email attributed to the 'Indian Muzahiddin' claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Written in Hindi, it said the outfit had timed the blast on the day when the crowd outside the court was huge.
"We have done it," it said and threatened to carry out another blast at a shopping mall in Delhi next Tuesday.
The email remains unverified, even as Bansal said it was being studied by the intelligence agencies.
Meanwhile, teams of anti-terrorism squads from the neighbouring states have also reached Delhi "for discussions and consultations with NIA and Delhi Police in connection with the investigation", said Bansal.
Struggling for any concrete clue, the NIA also announced a reward of Rs.500,000 for anyone providing clues about the suspects.
"The NIA has announced a reward of Rs.5 lakh for anyone giving any information to follow up the case. As far as investigation is concerned, it is going on. Delhi Police and NIA are coordinating," Home Secretary R.K. Singh told reporters.
Police also junked the theory that a missing car may hold a clue to solving the blast puzzle after the vehicle was found in Faridabad, on the outskirts of the capital.
The car -- a silver Santro with registration number DL9CA 6034) -- was seen by eyewitnesses near the blast site just before the explosion.
The car, owned by National Insurance Company employee Inshu Minocha, was stolen in 2009.
"The car has nothing to do with the bomb blast," said a police officer.
The NIA also detained a suspect from Uttar Pradesh. He was identified with his first name Shehzad only. Source said he resembled with the sketch of the suspects prepared by police.
The agency also ruled out the possibility that the attackers may have been among the 12 people who died in the blast, after all the victims were identified.
It has also carried out background checks on the over 91 injured and confirmed that none were suspects.
Delhi HC blast: Investigators still grappling for clues

Ex Servicemen Support Anna Hazare's Anti- Corruption Campaign

Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
‘i’ am grateful to YOU ALL, for very strong support to the views expressed. As yesterday, today also all news channels are giving continuous coverage to the action in hundreds of cities of India and abroad.
The PM was forced by Opposition to give a statement in Parliament, which he did in both houses, turn by turn. I heard each word of it. Shree Jaitley, Opposition Leader in Rajya Sabha and Ms Sushma Swaraj, Opposition Leader in Lok Sabha replied to the PM speech extremely well.
The Govt was virtually torn apart for hiding behind the Police Commissioner of Delhi. I am sure the text of these speeches will be available in news papers and on the net. Do read these two speeches – it is worth the effort. Some of the ESM have doubt whether IESM is supporting the Anna Movement or not. Well let there be no doubt in anyone’s mind – starting from Chairman downwards – there is unanimous support by the Governing Body of IESM, for the movement by Anna Hazare. IESM has not been able to issue a consolidated programme because of uncertainty of the main venue of the Anna’s protest. However, large number of members of IESM Governing Body, other members of IESM and other ESM were and are there at Tihar Jail, Chatrasal Stadium and India Gate. Please come forward and support Chairman IESM and all members of IESM in their endeavour to support Anna and Jan Lokpal Bill.
Whether you are member of IESM or not – let us show India that its ESM are there to now protect it from corrupt politicians and other thugs. When you come to support Anna, please ensure you dress up in a manner that you stand out as and ESM.
Wear your regimental cap/ miniture medals/ full medals/ or whatever you consider appropriate.We are trying to procure enough number of IESM Tee Shirts also, which will be available on payment (probably priced around Rs 200 or so). Vande Matram.
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.

Veterans Support Anna's Anti- Corruption campaign for Jan Lokpal Bill
In an effort to show our solidarity with IAC/ Anna Hazare, Gp Capt VK Gandhi and I went to the Tihar Jail this morning.
With clear blue sky and puffy white clouds around here and there, it was a very warm day!
As we reached the site at Gate No 1, we could see about 1500 people already milling about there, all very animated with slogans of "Vandé Matram" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai".
I must say that it was really awe-inspiring the way ordinary citizens of India were all gathered there to show support for Anna Hazare -- with absolutely no political angles!
Gp Capt Gandhi and I, of course, had gone there in the IESM T-shirt, which aroused immense response from all around. News 9 were very curious as to where were we from!
The crowds were getting larger very rapidly.
By the time we left, my estimate was that there were at least 5,000 people anxious to show their support for Anna Hazare.
What came as a pleasant surprise was that there were these volunteers, who were quietly walking about and offering you good, clean water for drinking as also, a small package of something to eat!
At about the time we were leaving, after having spent about an hour there, we could see some buses coming up and on enquiring, the driver said that the police had called for them. So, there just may have been some plans to arrest the protesters, what with a "Water Cannon" vehicle also standing there!
Thanks to the high visibility of the IESM T-shirts, we were not only able to meet a whole lot of other ESM, but there was a gentleman from Anna's village, Ralegaon Siddhi, who happily took a picture of us!
It was a really energising and uplifting experience, and I would strongly recommend all of you to individually get out to the nearest point where the "aam aadmi" is gathering -- and express your support to them!
Wg Cdr CK Sharma (Retd)
Treasurer, IESM

Ex-Servicemen turn Conmen

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 11:33:41 AM (IST) Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Jun 22: A fake recruitment racket run by ex-servicemen got busted here by the police.
The ex-servicemen who used to be Majors in the Army Medical Corps fooled young men who aspired to join the Indian Army.
The two conmen, one posed as a doctor for medical check-ups assured the candidates of a suitable placement in the Indian Army.
The candidates were asked to fill up personal details on answer sheets that were later filled by specialists and submitted to the Head Office. They were informed that they would recieve their joining letter through post.
Only when they did not recieve anything related to the Indian Army in their mailboxes did they realize they had been cheated.
The racket is said to be worth a lot of money as each of the candidates had to pay around Rs 3 lac.
Based on a complaint given by one of the candidates, the Crime Branch of Delhi police arrested four who were the masterminds behind the racket in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
New Delhi: Ex-Servicemen turn Conmen

Additional Gratuity for Pre- 2006 Retirees is a Fake Order

IESM
1. This office has received numerous queries and petition regarding additional gratuity for pre 96 retirees based on DoPT Office Memorandum No 45/86/97-P & PW (A) dated 04 Dec 04. It is for information to all concerned that this is fake and according clarification was issued by DoPT vide letter No 38/42/2005 – P & PW (F) and the same is pasted below for reference.
2. Hence, It is hereby clarified that there no additional gratuity is being awarded to pre-96 retirees.
Cdr CK Sharma (Retd)
Treasurer, IESM

Additional Gratuity for Pre-1996 Retirees
In pursuance of the Supreme Court Judgement, the Deptt of Pension & Pensioners Welfare, Govt of India, vide their O.M. No 45/86/97-P&PW(A) Pt I, dated 4.12.2004, the Pre-1996 Retirees have been made eligible for receiving additional Gratuity. All those pensioners who are eligible for this benefit may please apply to their respective departments, giving details eg. PPO No, date of retirement, bank details etc.
The Deptt of Pension & Pensioners Welfare O.M. referred above is reproduced below.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM
No 45/86/97-P&PW(A) Pt I, dated 4.12.2004.
Subject: Implementation of Govt decision on recommendation of the Vth CPC revision of provisions regulating pension.
1. The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s O.M. even number dt 27th Oct 1997 on the above subject and to state that para Nos 4.3 & 6 of the above may please be substituted as under:
“Emoluments
Para 4.3. In case of all types of gratuity under Rules 49 and 50 of the CCS (pension) Rules, DA admissible on the date of Retirement/ death shall be treated as emoluments alongwith The Emoluments as defined in paragraph 4.1 above, accordingly Rule 50(5) of the Pension Rules shall stand modified to the effect that the emoluments for the purpose of gratuity admissible under this Rule shall be reckoned in accordance with Rule 33 and in addition D.A. admissible on the date of retirement/ death of the government employee shall be treated as emoluments.
Retirement/ Death gratuity Para 6. The maximum limits for all kinds of gratuity under Rule 50 of CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, shall be Rs 3.5 lakh. Accordingly the first proviso of Rule 50(1)(b) of the CCS (Pension) Rules 1972, shall stand modified to effect that the amount of retirement/ death gratuity payable under this Rule shall in no case exceed Rs 3.5 lakh.”
Except for the above, the provisions of O.M. dt 27.10.97 stand.
2. These orders issue with the approval of Ministry of Finance Dept of Expenditure vide their U.O. No 648/E.V/2001 dt 29.10.2001.

APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF ADDITIONAL GRATUITY TO PRE-1996 RETIREES
1. No and Name of Pensioner
2. No and Name of deceased in case
of family pension
3. Rank of pensioner
4. Date of retirement
5. Record office (or CDA)
6. Original PPO Number
7. Latest Corrigendum PPO if any
8. Previous reference of correspondence if any
9. Postal address, email ID and tele number
10. Bankers through which pension is being received
At the time of my retirement I have been paid Gratuity only based on Basic Pay. Additional Gratuity may please be paid to me for the DA being drawn by me at the time of my retirement, as admissible vide Government of India Letter No 45/86/97 – P&PW(A) dated 04 Dec 2004.
signatures
name
date
posted by CPC Nath
Notes on some important information for the military personnel both serving and retired

Anna Hazare's viral spirals the Government to activity

Citizens Voice Versus Corrupt Netas- Defining Moment in India's History
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL INDIANS ON THEIR VICTORY AGAINST CORRUPTION
Dear Veterans,
Fourth day (8 April) of Veteran Anna Hazare's fast has galvanised the whole country and all Indians around the globe. All proud indians who dream of corruption free India are also observing fast to confirm their solidarity with Anna Sahib. The number of Indians observing fast and participating in the movement has crossed millions. IESM is supporting the protest in more than 50 cities in India. Protests are now spreading from cities to villages and will very soon cover entire India. This looks like a repeat of movement like QUIT INDIA OR DANDI MARCH. I got calls from veterans in Australia and USA who are appreciative of the IESM stand on the issue and encouraged us to continue supporting Anna Hazare and the noble cause and confirmed that they are also observing fast for this noble cause. One veteran who has settled in Australia has been visiting the IESM tent with his family for the last two days in support of veteran Anna Hazare and IESM. There were more than 10000 proud Indians from all parts of India at Jantar Mantar through out the day.

Veteran Anna Hazare is true soldier and is in good health. Rigorous army training is keeping him fit even today. While four other demonstrators had to be given medical aid and probably hospitalisation. Anna Sahib's health is good and he is in high spirits. He has rejected the half-hearted approach of the emissaries of the PM and has requested the emissary to take his message to the PM, "People of India are fed up with corruption in high places and will not accept any half-hearted approach to tackle this dragon, the dragon of corruption has to be killed and buried once for all. India needs stronger and effective laws to curb this menace. India also wants rules for strict implementation of these laws and HENCE JAN LOK PAL BILL."

Some veterans have been suggesting that media is not interviewing IESM office bearers and IESM is not visible in the footage shown on TV. IESM has aligned with this campaign to show solidarity with the Anna sahib and his team and the cause. IESM members are intentionally keeping a low profile and not appearing for spot interviews as a planned strategy. IESM has confirmed to the organisers that all ex- servicemen family of 23 lac members is supporting this cause and will keep extending support to the peaceful and non-violent movement. IESM banner is placed in a stragic location and is prominently visible in TV projections.

IESM tent is manned by volunteers and members of Governing body round the clock. A register is kept there for all the veterans to sign and confirm their support to the cause. Veterans visiting the tent have been joining the IESM more than 60 veterans have joined IESM today and have given donations also while visiting IESM tent.

BREAKING NEWS AT 2200H
By now you must have heard the breaking news that Govt has bowed down to the wishes of veteran Anna Hazare and has agreed to all the demands. IESM salutes and congratulates Veteran Anna Hazare and all citizens of India for the victory of people against corruption. It only goes to prove that any Govt will bow down to the wishes of people and the vote bank if the people are united. IESM is giving a call for all ex-servicement to unite and fight for OROP and Govt will be forced to give OROP.
Veteran Anna Hazare will break his fast after the Govt issues the letter accepting all the demands of the movement. It may happen by tomorrow morning.
IESM PRAYS TO GOD TO GIVE STRENGTH TO VETERAN ANNA HAZARE
Regards,
Gp Capt VK Gandhi VSM
Gen Sec IESM

Bureaucrats appointed on Fake Certificates

Government Appointments on Fake Caste Certificate
Wednesday, December 01, 2010 18:50 IST
Some cases of appointments made on the basis of allegedly fake caste certificates have come to the notice of Government. As per information received from 30 Ministries/ Departments, there were about 1383 cases of appointments made on the basis of allegedly false/ fake caste certificates. The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered 58 cases against 67 persons on allegations of appointment on the basis of fake caste certificates.

The Government has issued instructions to the effect that the appointing authorities should verify the caste status of a Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe candidate at the time of initial appointment and promotion against a vacancy reserved for them. The instructions further provide that verification of caste status should be done at every important upturn of employee’s career so that the benefit of reservation and other schemes of concessions, etc, meant for SCs/STs go only to rightful claimants. Instructions also provide that if any person gets an appointment on the basis of such false claim, he should be removed from service.

The Government of India has requested all the States/ UTs to streamline the system of verification of caste certificates so that unscrupulous non-SC/ST/OBC persons are prevented from securing jobs meant for SCs/STs/OBCs by producing false certificate. They have also been requested to initiate disciplinary proceedings against officers who default in timely verification of caste status in such cases or issue false certificates so as to rule out collusion between candidates holding false/ forged certificates and employees.

This was stated by Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Shri V. Narayanasamy in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
Appointments on Fake Caste Certificate
Read more- Fakes Galore: Run up to a Fake Democracy

Is flying safe with fake Pilot Licence

24/11/2010
Fake flights and fake flying hours in pilot licence scam
Jaipur: The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday arrested an assistant general manager of the Jaipur Air Traffic Control (ATC) and the chief flying instructor (CFI) of the Rajasthan State Flying School in connection with a commercial pilot licence scam.
The duo, in collusion with other officials, allegedly accepted money to fudge records of flying hours for at least 14 students, thus helping them obtain commercial pilot licences in a fraudulent manner. According to the rules, students must log at least 200 flying hours to get a licence.
The accused have been identified as CFI Mahendra Kumar and AGM Manoj Jain. "Kumar would log fake hours and Jain at the ATC would countersign, though the plane was never in the air," said ACB Additional Director General of Police Ajit Singh. He added that Kumar charged students extra money for faking flying hours, over and above the official fee of Rs 4.7 lakh.
Last month, the ACB arrested an Indian Airlines pilot, Rahul Yadav, in connection with the same case. According to Singh, Yadav had logged only around 20 hours of flying time, while his flight logs showed the required 200 hours.
"Though records show that Yadav completed a cross-country flight from Jaipur to Hissar as part of his training, we have evidence to show that the plane he reportedly used was undergoing maintenance at the time," said Singh. Incidentally, Yadav's father is a senior official with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
ACB officials said that from 2004-2008, the duo had logged fake flying hours for at least 14 students, including another Indian Airlines technician, Rakesh Mehta, and Pallavi Sherje, who is at present an assistant flying instructor in Nagpur.
Incidentally, according to sources, Kumar was vying for the post of pilot of the state aircraft that ferries Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Bhupendra Yadav, the ACB investigation officer, said M S Beniwal, the CFI at Hissar Aviation Club, was also wanted in the case but was absconding. "We have a warrant for his arrest, but he has managed to evade the police. Kumar would log a cross-country flight from Jaipur to Hissar and back, as part of the training, and Beniwal would countersign," said Yadav.
Fake flights and fake flying hours in pilot licence scam

Read more of Indian Fakes: A run up to a Fake democarcy!
Indian fakes galore: Now a fake GOI Memorandum

Mumbai Military Estate Scam Shames Sukhna

Man sets up land grab from army
Samar Halarnkar and Rahul Singh, Hindustan Times
New Delhi/ Mumbai, October 26, 2010

A retired junior defence estates officer once probed for corruption coordinated the takeover of a south Mumbai army park that is now a 31-storey super-luxury building on one of Asia’s costliest swathes of real estate — cleared on the fake condition it would be a six-storey structure housing war veterans and widows.

India’s defence ministry is now struggling with a request from its Western naval commander to investigate the repeated subversion of various laws that eventually allowed Ramchandra Sonelal Thakur to become general secretary of the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society within the bounds of the Colaba Military Station in south Mumbai’s Cuffe Parade, where flats sell for Rs 50,000 to Rs 80,000 per sq ft.

The flats, including the land, cost the society and its members Rs 26 crore. The market value is anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 800 crore. The society got an occupation certificate last week.

“There is very big money, and very powerful people involved,” said a highly placed source in the defence ministry, refusing to be quoted given the sensitivity of the case. “Frankly, it is going to be very difficult to probe the complaint (made earlier this year by the admiral heading the Western Naval Command in Mumbai), but we are perusing it.”

Once a lush 6,490 sq m of about 100 trees called the Khukri Eco Park (named after an Indian frigate sunk during the 1971 war), the owner’s list in Adarsh now includes a former naval chief, two former army chiefs — among a host of other senior officers — top Maharashtra bureaucrats, members of Parliament and Thakur, who retired this year from the defence estates department.

In 2003, thakur was being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation for the illegal transfer of defence land in Nagpur.

Investigations by the Hindustan Times — which has a list of beneficiaries; fake, past and present — reveal a pattern to this ownership: A collective manipulation of laws that led Thakur’s Adarsh deal to be cleared in stages since 2003 by Congress chief ministers, Sushilkumar Shinde and Vilasrao Deshmukh (both now Union ministers), the then army commander, Maharashtra and Goa Sub Area, Maj Gen T N Kaul, and a host of Maharashtra government bureaucrats, including Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and former Mumbai municipal commission Jairaj Phatak.

"I don't remember the case," said Deshmukh, union minister for heavy industry. Shinde could not be reached for comment. Defence Minister A K Antony said the government was “examining the matter seriously”.

Contacted in Nagpur, Adarsh society’s Thakur said “those who failed to get flats” were now complaining, including, he implied, Vice Admiral Sanjiv Bhasin, chief of the Western Naval Command.

“Khatte angoor kaun khaya (who’s eaten sour grapes)?” asked Thakur with a laugh. “He (Admiral Bhasin) should know why he has complained. We told so many people, sorry, you cannot be accommodated.”

"Do you expect me to respond to that statement?" said Admiral Bhasin. He said had been writing to "all authorities concerned for the past six-seven months" to get the clearances revoked. "No one is aware of who the members are. We wrote to the registrar of properties,” said Bhasin, who regards the towering building as a threat to security and naval air operations. “The registrar told us to approach the society. The society did not respond for a month and said the list was being finalised by the government of Maharashtra."

Bhasin said he then requested the Chief Secretary to withhold an occupation certificate until the names are made public. "We want to do a scrutiny of all officers, and if they are civilians, we will ask the police department to verify their antecedants. The MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) may have been pressured to issue the certificate last week because of the influential people involved." Bhasin has again asked for a revocation of the occupancy certificate.

MMRDA denied any letter from Bhasin requesting a denial of an occupation certificate.

"We (MMRDA) issued the occupation certificate to the building on September 16, 2010, on the basis of structural plan and documents submitted...they had obtained all necessary permissions," said MMRDA spokesman Dilip Kawathkar, who said they did get a letter asking for a list of society members.

"We replied to the letter saying that the list could be obtained by the Collector, who was the appropriate authority for the same."

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said the Adarsh affair was an "old issue". He then denied knowing any details: "Before ordering any probe, we will have to first look into ownership issue of the plot, whether it is a state government-owned plot or no (sic)."

Since 2004, when the building was first cleared, there has been a spate of additions and deletions to the list of Adarsh society members, often coinciding with their stints in power. The junior officers have been dropped.

Among the “Kargil Heroes” named on the original list of 71 members of the Adarsh Society — there are now nearly 100 flats — are Subedar Ramnarain Achelal Thakur and Major Rajiv Kumar Hitnarain Singh. They never owned flats in Adarsh and army sources told the Hindustan Times they had no record of these soldiers.

They were replaced with senior defence officers, an influential set of politicians, two MPs, an MLC (member of the legislative council) and bureaucrats. That included an IAS officer married to the then Mumbai district collector, who deleted 34 names from the first list questioning their “eligibility”.

With such manipulation and reach, clearances came thick and fast, said the defence ministry source. One of those whose son got a flat was REC MD Phatak.

"My son became a member of the society in 2003-04, when I was the secretary of school education and had no say in land allotment or town planning permissions,” said Phatak. “He met all the eligibility criteria. No sane person would have refused the membership."

But Phatak was municipal commissioner in 2007, when the society got additional floor space and clearance from the municipal corporation, allowing a 31-storey skyscraper in a coastal regulatory zone with restrictive building laws.

Phatak said the land development approvals came from the MMRDA, and the municipal corporation’s High Rise Committee evaluated the building “only because MMRDA does not have in house committee to clear skyscrapers”.(With Shailesh Gaikwad and Ketaki Ghoge)
Defence Estate Officer sets up land grab from army: Hindustan Times Report
Top Army Brass in Mumbai land row: NDTV Report

Lokesh Batra 1971 war veteran- Flag Bearer of RTI Act

Aslam Bhai , President, Nagarik Adhikar Kendra, a Gujarat NGO
With the Panchayat getting the maximum number of visits by members of a village, the NAK hit upon the novel idea of painting the mandatory disclosures under RTI on the walls of the Panchayat building. While Section 4 (1) (b) of the Act lists 17 types of information which must be voluntarily disclosed by a public authority, this list is displayed on a department's website, inaccessible to the mass of villagers who usually have no access to a computer. In 2009 NAK put up a template on the walls of 22 village panchayats in Panchmahals district along with similar templates in the village ration shop, the nearest PHC, local government schools. When they did the same for 15 villages in neighbouring Dahod district, the district administration sat up and took note. 200 villages in Dahod district were then instructed to replicate the wall painting template and spread the RTI word.

Lokesh Batra, 1971 war veteran actively involved in taking up social issues
It is a full five years after the enactment of the RTI Act that all 37 passport offices in the country are in tune with it. A sustained campaign by Retd Commodore Batra ensured that they complied with Section 4 of the Act which lists the 17 types of information which every public authority must disclose. He is also in the middle of a campaign to ensure that Indians who travel abroad do not lose out on their RTI rights.

Indian citizens living abroad are unable to access information as per their right in the absence of procedure/rules to be framed by the government for payment of RTI fees in foreign currency. Retd Comm Batra, who stays in Noida, also led a spirited campaign at the time of the Nithari killings bringing out the failure of the authorities. His latest campaign involves an RTI application to the PMO and MoEF to formulate a Green Buildings Code for govt buildings.
Flag-bearers of RTI Act: The Economic Times

A befitting rejoinder to AG Noorani's "Talkative Generals"

Dear Brigadier Kamboj,
A fine example of "Propaganda, with an Agenda" was published in weekly "FRONTLINE"(13 August), in an eight-page "essay" by AG Noorani, indiscriminately castigating some of our soldier-icons! As such inchoate outpourings against our Armed Forces cannot be allowed to go unchallenged, I made a rejoinder which has already been published in the September issues of the "FORCE" and "DEFENCE WATCH" magazines (in "FORCE", a truncated version of the inevitably long rejoinder).
I am attaching click here a full version of my piece, in case you feel that it may be of some interest to the readers of "Report my Signal". I am afraid it is over-long, but Mr Noorani, a lawyer-cum-journalist, needed to be answered in full.
For members who may NOT be able to get to the Site for Noorani's article, here is the Link: just click here
With regards,
Major General Rajendra Prakash, VSM

Democracy and Military
In India armed forces have played a role in both democratising and anti- democratic transitions. Political tendency here is to emulate bygone rulers (Politicians) tending towards authoritarianism. Patterns of civil-military relations and degrees of authoritarianism/ democracy in governance have varied widely. Any attempt at understanding this variety must begin with an appreciation of the particular historical and cultural circumstances under which credited apolitical military involvement in politics is developing in our country. I am sure AG Noorani understands that Insurgency, Naxalism and Maoist threats are outcome of poor governance, inept bureaucrats and self- centered Politicians rather than the "Talkative Generals". The author certainly will get focused and enlightened reading the essay "Democracy and Military" (click title). A cocky General is certainly a successful battle winner in comparison to a cunning Bureaucrat who is more often careful to preserve his own career rather than work for citizens welfare.

Poor Indian families have to bribe officials for access to basic public services.

30% Indians totally corrupt, 50% borderline: Outgoing CVC chief
Agence France-Presse, Updated: September 08, 2010 17:23 IST
New Delhi: Almost one-third of Indians are "utterly corrupt" and half are "borderline", the outgoing head of the country's corruption watchdog has said, blaming increased wealth for much of the problem.

Pratyush Sinha, who retired as India's Central Vigilance Commissioner this week, said the worst part of his "thankless job" was observing how corruption had increased as people became more materialistic.

"When we were growing up I remember if somebody was corrupt, they were generally looked down upon," he said. "There was at least some social stigma attached to it. That is gone. So there is greater social acceptance."

Transparency International, the global anti-graft body, puts India 84th on its corruption perception index with a 3.4-point rating, out of a best possible score of 10.

New Zealand ranks first with 9.4 points and Somalia last on 1.1 points.

The campaign group has said that each year millions of poor Indian families have to bribe officials for access to basic public services.

Sinha told a Delhi-based newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday that 20 percent of Indians were "honest, regardless of the temptations, because this is how they are. They have a conscience. "There would be around 30 percent who would be utterly corrupt. But the rest are the people who are on the borderline," he said, adding that corruption was "palpable".

Sinha said that in modern India "if somebody has a lot of money, he is respectable. Nobody questions by what means he has got the money."

Recent corruption scandals in India have focused on construction projects for the Commonwealth Games that open in New Delhi next month, and alleged tax evasion in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament.

India is also regarded as a hotbed of illegal betting syndicates, with gamblers and bookmakers involved in "spot-fixing" - the gambling that has engulfed the current Pakistani cricket tour of England.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has often spoken out against the damaging effect that bribes, extortion and fraud have on all levels of life, and warned that the problem threatens India's future economic prospects.
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