Stay on Sukhna Scam general’s court martial

Sumit Saxena , Hindustan Times New Delhi, February 23, 2010
The Armed Forces Tribunal on Monday stayed court martial proceeding against retired military secretary Lt Gen Avadhesh Prakash in the Sukna land scam.

The court martial, ordered against Prakash after his indictment by a court of inquiry (COI), was to start on February 25 in Kolkata.

A two-member tribunal bench quashed the findings of the COI, which had indicted Prakash for using his official position to pressure the staff of the 33, Corps — based in Sukna, West Bengal — to facilitate the transfer of a plot of land to his family friend, Dilip Agarwal.

The Bench ordered a fresh CoI, to be completed within two months.

Observing that army rule was “violated” during the COI, the Bench said Prakash would get the chance to cross-examine the six witnesses who deposed against him. “It will be open to the petitioner to lead any evidence by calling witness or producing documentary evidence,” it said.

The issue of cross-examination was a major plea of the retired officer against the COI.

“The court has given us a fair chance to defend ourselves. We have been falsely implicated,” Jyoti Singh, counsel for Prakash, said.
Stay on Sukhna Scam general’s court martial

MOD Land Scams
LUCKNOW: In a significant judgment, the Allahabad high court has directed the secretary, ministry of defence, to instruct all the command heads of Indian military to map all defence lands and estates and ensure zero unauthorised occupancy or encroachment thereon.
After having reasoned out the importance and necessity of the defence land, the court expressed concern over the encroachment of defence land by land mafia and land-grabbers around the defence estates in different districts of Uttar Pradesh and beyond. "It has been brought to the notice of the court that entertainment centres and commercial establishments run by private parties are being brought up uninterruptedly on army land," the judgment stated.
The court also observed that the military commanders heading the commands owe it to the nation to ensure that the land earmarked for military purposes does not go into unauthorised hands.
High Court to MoD: Crack down on encroachment in Cantonments

Comment:
In spite of the clear orders and existing rulings the GOC- in- C Commands are spineless in evicting the encroachers. If the Military commanders cannot protect its own lands how can they be trusted to defend the National territory and integrity? In Tamilnadu over 50% Military Lands have been usurped and assigned to mafia and land grabbers by MOD through dubious means of NOC, leasing, bribes and other corrupt methods. The same is the case in each and every cantonment of the Nation.