IAF VVIP helicopter deal: Army Brigadier under scanner

Did Indian Brigadier solicit Italian arms kickbacks for chopper deal
Headlines Today has an exclusive information that a brigadier and two businessmen have been named in an Italian chargesheet.
Italian prosecutors, who have been investigating a series of corruption charges against Finmeccanica, tapped the phone of alleged middleman Guido Haschke as part of the probe into the deal. The prosecutors informed the court that they found strong clues that a part of the commission paid was routed through Mauritius and Tunisia.
Defence Minister clueless about backdoor dealings in MOD
“AgustaWestland is believed to have paid the mediators a commission of 41 million euros which later became 51 million,” the report says, adding that Lorenzo Borgogni, a former senior employee of the company claimed that two agents were hired to push the India deal. “In particular, Borgogni talked about international commercial operations and especially about the supply of 12 helicopters from AgustaWestland International Ltd. to the Indian government thanks to the mediation of Guido Ralph Haschke and Christian Michel. Indian law does not allow any compensation for mediators,” the report says. Incidentally, when the helicopter deal probe was first reported in March this year, Defence Minister A K Antony had informed Parliament that “no specific probe is being conducted about India-related transactions” by Rome.
Three Indians named in VVIP chopper bribery scam
Comment: Nothing will come out of the Investigations in India. Like all scams this too will be suitably buried, whereas the Italians like the USA will put the culprits behind bars.

Outsourcing the best option for the Military to reduce corruption

'Private sector can ease Indian Army's maintenance burden'
New Delhi,Business/Economy,Defence/Security, Tue, 02 Oct 2012 IANS
New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) is a concept hitherto confined to the civilian aviation sector. Now, an industry lobby is promoting this as a means by which the Indian Army can cut down its maintenance costs and improve its operational preparedness.
"A modern army's equipment readiness has to be sustained at high levels to meet the demands of a complex and uncertain operating environment. This becomes crucial since the Indian Army is looking at capabilities for quick deployment, reducing repair cycle time, inventory overhang and repair costs," an official of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) explained.
"The Indian Army's modernisation strategy is focused on acquiring capabilities that will enable it to succeed in any operation today or in the future. Operational sustainment of weapon systems aims to retain these capabilities throughout its lifecycle.
"The proliferation of land weapon systems across the complete spectrum in the military necessitates effective implementation and integration of an MRO environment so as to keep the user in a state of mission readiness 24x7," the official said. Toward this end, FICCI and the Indian Army's Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) Monday announced that the first international seminar on MRO in Land Systems would be held in New Delhi on Dec 3-4.
The seminar aims to institutionalise measures for the Indian Army adopting MRO for its land systems "through forging strong public private partnerships, so as to ensure military equipment meets operational requirements in a cost effective manner", the official said.
The seminar will bring together MRO domain experts, IT solution providers and stakeholders from industry, including policymakers, regulators and manufacturers, to deliberate on and help evolve the MRO policy systems for land systems that will achieve the stated objectives of mission readiness.
Private sector can ease Indian Army's maintenance burden
Comment: The Local Purchase in the Military is resorted due to NA (non availability) of stores. Generally this cycle of operation is meant to defraud the exchequer- inflated bills, bribes, commissions- resulting in poor quality or substandard products or stores with 100% failure rate within a few months. Encouraging this practise is anti- national and let down of our troops. There are numerous scandals like tents, boots, blankets, motor vehicle parts, spurious stationery, defence stores, the list is endless. Even grants for training is fudged. The prime reason for failing and falling standards of troops.

Antony throws the Chief's age row out of his court

DD News 31 Jan 2012
Antony blames Army for chief's age row
Laying the blame on the army's doors for the controversy over Gen V K Singh's age issue, Defence Min A K Antony has said it occurred because the force kept two sets of his date of birth for 36 years and maintained there was no civil-military confrontation.
"For 36 years, two branches of the same institution maintained two dates of birth and that is why this controversy," he told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday in his first detailed comments on the raging controversy that is before the Supreme Court now.
"It is unfortunate that it took years together but I don't agree with some of you that it is a civil-military controversy," Antony added.
He suggested that the government had no role to play in the whole issue as this discrepancy was first noticed in 2006 by the Army headquarters and reconciled at that level then and later in 2008 by two respective chiefs.
Antony said from 2006 to 2009, the Army Headquarters (AHQ) handled and reconciled the age issue at their level and the government accepted their recommendations and had no role to play in it.
"It (two dates of birth) was noticed by the AHQ in 2006 and then it was reconciled at the level of the then Army chief (Gen J J Singh). Army took a decision and conveyed it to the government. I was not there but the government of the day took a decision on the basis of recommendations of the Army," he said.
The Defence Minister said when the issue came up again in 2008, the AHQ at the level of the then Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor had reconciled the matter and the government accepted the recommendations of the force.
"Like in 2006, in 2008 also, AHQ at their level reconciled it and sent it to the government, which accepted that. What else the government could do?" he said.
Antony said after accepting recommendations of the AHQ on the matter in 2009, "the government had thought that all controversies were reconciled, at least by 2009 and thought everything is over but again a complaint came in 2011."
He said after receiving the complaint in 2011, the government took three decisions on basis of the opinions given by the Law Ministry and the Attorney General and "that is the only way the government can function".
The Minister said that now that the government decision on the issue has been questioned in the Supreme Court, "let us have some patience and not make this a controversy again and again."
"This is now beyond the government and we have no control over it. Let us all mentally-prepare to accept the decision whatever it may be. That will be the final decision of the Supreme Court of India," he said. (DD-31.1)
Antony blames Army for chief's age row

Comment: Indecision is the virtue of the Bureaucrats and throwing the ball in others court is the normal. Certainly there is no controversy! Who are the Mischief Makers?

Lokpal and the Armed Forces

LOKPAL: Case for an inclusive approach by Maj Navdeep Singh
The Lokpal Bill, expected to be placed before the Rajya Sabha in the next session, has kicked up a debate over the exclusion of the Armed Forces from its purview. Barring operational and intelligence matters, being under the Lokpal would be beneficial and not detrimental for the services as it could well prove that the levels of corruption in the defence services are lower than in other departments. All references in the final Act to Group-A officers should also apply to Commissioned Officers, while those to Group-B and Group-C staff should be applicable to Junior Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks respectively.

The reaction amongst the military community was apparently euphoric when it came to light that the Parliament had agreed on keeping the Armed Forces out of the purview of the Lokpal.

Why the elation, one may ask? The exclusion only leads to the solidification of the 'holy cow' image and a message is sent out that the Armed Forces do not want the cloak of secrecy to be removed since there could be skeletons to hide, which in fact, is not the case at all. Being one of the cleanest institutions, the Armed Forces must set an example and welcome probity of any kind rather than revelling in the bloated myth of being 'different'.

National security and operational aspects have become the much flogged reasons for circumventing transparency not only in the defence services but elsewhere too. The gullible public, including lawmakers, buy it in the name of patriotism. But real patriotism would only be displayed when the uniformed forces go all out to embrace the concept of Lokpal in line with the national effort.
click here to read the Tribune OPED

Anna Hazare's Arrest Galvanises the Nation to Arrest Corruption

Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
Finally the Government and Anna supporters have agreed for the place of Anna’s fast and dharna.The place is Ram Lila Ground, New Delhi. Anna will shift to Ram Lila Ground around 1500 hrs on 18 Aug 11.Ram Lila Ground is easily accessible by Metro and bus.
Now that situation has stabilised, IESM has started its preparations to set up a shamiana at the Ram Lila Ground. At present there is too much of on rush of too many activities at the ground. IESM will be ready with its shamiana surely by 1600 hrs at Ram Lila Ground, may be earlier.
All ESM and families, whether members of IESM or not, in and around NCR, are requested to assemble at Ram Lila Ground today by 1600 hrs.Please wear regimental caps or miniature medals, or full medals or any insignia to distinguish you as an ESM.
IESM T Shirts will be available on site. 500 T shirts have arrived, more are on the way. Some suitable banners are being made and will be on site. Your help in getting some banners with you will be highly appreciated. From 19 Aug onwards, you all with your families are requested to be at Ram Lila Ground by 1000 hrs every day.
At Ram Lila Ground all administrative arrangements, including water and sanitation are being made by the organisers.It is advisable to carry your own water also. Those of you, who are away from NCR, should kindly join the Anti Corruption Movement of Anna, in your respective cities in an organised manner, making yourself visible as an ESM. Do send us periodic reports, with photographs.
Please try and involve media in your respective cities and if feasible, ensure that you as Ex Servicemen, with your families, are visible on the media. Vande Matram.
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj.

Malfeasance in the Military

The Tribune Wednesday, December 22, 2010, Chandigarh, India
Malfeasance in the military: It can be relied upon to apply the correctives
by Lt-Gen Harwant Singh (Retd)

For some time the military has been much in the news for almost all the wrong reasons. With the increasing number of scandals and scams being reported by the media, one cannot help but suffer the sinking feeling that the Indian military, too, along with almost every other constituent of the government is on the downward slide. Some may argue that the military can be no other than a mirror image of society from which it draws its manpower. Even so the ethos, the sense of honour and discipline in the military make it apart from society at large and as such can be relied upon to apply the correctives and stay on course.

It may be instructive to put in the right perspective some of the scams which have in the recent past drawn attention of the media and seem to tarnish the military’s fair image. Take the case of Sukna scandal. It relates to the issue of the No-Objection Certificate ( NOC ) to a private party for building a school on a piece of land outside the cantonment (not Army land). This NOC contravened a law that no civil construction can be allowed within 1000 yards of the cantonment boundary, but there has to be a notification to that end by the civil authority. In this case,there was no notification. Even so, the NOC issue was taken as an improper act and disciplinary action initiated against the officers concerned, including three general-rank officers.

In the Tehelka episode, one senior officer was put behind the bars and the career of another general came to an end for merely accepting dinner from a Tehelka team. Some others suffered various degrees of punishment. As against this, those from the Ministry of Defence and involved in the case are yet to be punished. The additional secretary who accepted a gold chain from the Tehelka team was soon promoted. One defence secretary charge-sheeted in the Bofors case, instead of facing proceedings against him, was given the assignment of a Lt-Governor, placing him outside the reach of the long arm of the law. Another defence secretary was indicted by the Delhi High Court for altering the annual confidential report (an official document) of an air force officer. He was merely shifted to another ministry. Then there was the case of a defence secretary who on his own went ahead and entered into a dubious deal for the purchase of one lakh rifles for the Army for which no ammunition was available in the world market. Nothing happened against him. It would be interesting to note that none of these cases were brought to light by any internal mechanism of the Ministry of Defence. This was done by outside agencies.

In the case of some other scandals and fake encounters by Army men, which have been in public domain, action was taken and those involved were arrested, including a few senior-level officers, while some others were given a range of punishments. A number of cases reported later have not seen timely disposal, as the officers concerned have been seeking relief from civil courts, resulting in delays. They may be able to buy time, but in no way will they escape the wrath of the military law.

In the high-voltage case relating to the Adarsh Housing Society flats in Mumbai, the malfeasance is far more serious than the Sukna scam. In this particular case, the land (named Khukhri Park) was given to the Army by the civil administration a few decades earlier in exchange for some land of the Army elsewhere, taken by the civil administration to make a bypass, etc. Since this land was given to the Army, in the first place it should have come on the land records of the Defence Estates Department (a department of the MoD). This was obviously not done and the land remained on the records of the civil administration, though ipso facto the land belonged to the military and was in its possession. There is no provision under which this piece of land could be given to anybody, even to Kargil widows/heroes, without sanction from the Union Cabinet in Delhi. Putting the label of “Kargil war widows/heroes” on the Adarsh Housing Society appears to have been a later-day innovation.

It was the implied ambiguity in the ownership of the land which was exploited by RC Thakur, a functionary in the Defence Estates Office ( DEO ) at Mumbai. Though the military was the de-facto and de-jure owner of this land, slip-up, intentional or otherwise by the Defence Estates office, in not taking it on its records was of little consequence. While the military land records are maintained by the Defence Estate Office, it is the Army Commander who is the custodian of all kinds of military land within his command.

The sub-area commander of the military station at Colaba (who later came back as area commander after an NDC course), the subsequent area commanders and some others most shamefully collaborated in this nefarious scheme. They also roped in some of their greedy seniors. Not to be left out, those in the politico-bureaucratic set-up who were to give various clearances for the project picked up slices of the cake for themselves, friends and relatives. Eventually they formed the majority. Some others who could and were equally desperate for that piece of cake too joined in. Since this building was originally meant to have only six floors, its foundation would have been laid to cater to that requirement. Therefore, how could the building with the same foundation be raised to 30/31 floors? The mischief runs deeper.

From the large number of cases that have been brought to light, the impression seems to prevail that the military, too, has gone under. With officer-strength of over 35,000, even dozens of cases should not cause any alarm. The environment in the country is conducive to corruption, and an increasing number of Army men are not able to resist the temptation. It would be interesting to note that only the military organisations that come in contact or deal with the civilian contractors and wheeler-dealers of civil organisations are affected by the corroding influence of corruption. All the others in the military abide by high standards of integrity and honesty.

Therefore, it would be seen that it is the military’s own internal mechanism which invariably brought these cases to light and then proceedings were launched against the suspects. One can be certain that in the Adarsh Housing Society case, too, those whose actions are still governed by the military law (military law continues to operate in the case of an individual up to two years after retirement ) will face the military’s music.

While the military can be relied upon to routinely deal with the rot that seems to be creeping into its system, more vigorous and determined efforts will have to be made by the top brass to dig out every suspected case of corruption and misconduct and promptly dealt with. The exaggerated notion of scale and scope of privileges which supposedly go with higher ranks needs to be curbed. The present Army Chief is known for high integrity, probity and moral values and will surely clean up the Augean stables.
The writer is a retired Deputy Chief of the Army Staff.
Malfeasance in the military

Signal Officer battles corruption

I became victim of personal vendetta

Loud whistle: Major General (retd) V.K. Singh / Photo: Sanjay Ahlawat






INTERVIEW/MAJ. GEN. (RETD) V.K. SINGH, FORMER JOINT SECRETARY, R&AW
No government likes it when its spies talk about their jobs. In fact, under the Official Secrets Act, employees of security services are not allowed to disclose anything to anyone about any aspect of their work. Even after retirement, these officers are discouraged to write and speak on intelligence matters. When Major General (retd) V.K. Singh published his book, India’s External Intelligence—Secrets of the Research & Analysis Wing, he was charged with the crime of violating the OSA. His house was ransacked and his passport seized. In an interview with THE WEEK, he speaks about the legal struggle, holes in the case against him and how he became a victim of personal vendetta.

Had you ever thought that your book would bring you such trouble?
I had no idea that the book would invite such a reaction from the authorities. While I was in R&AW, I noticed several aberrations such as indiscipline, lack of accountability and corruption. The professionalism and pride that one associates with a premier organisation were absent. I felt that these anomalies should be corrected and this would only happen if they were brought to the notice of the public. In fact, the most important issue that I wanted to raise was corruption. During my stay, I noticed a few cases in R&AW as well as the SPG, where equipment appeared to have been procured from foreign vendors at exorbitant prices or without the mandatory security checks.

What are the charges that have been levelled against you?
The main charges against me are that I have given the charter of R&AW recommended by the Group of Ministers on National Security in 2001; that I revealed the names of officers and locations of R&AW stations; and that I gave details about certain projects in R&AW.
Firstly, the contents of the GoM report were the subject of several articles in 2001, some of which I have referred to in my book. At the time of its formal release on May 23, 2001, the chapter on intelligence was deleted. The report, minus the deleted portions, is still available on the web site of the ministry of defence. The names of all the officers are available on the Department of Personnel and Training web site. In August 2009, the CBI held its biennial conference at Vigyan Bhavan, in Delhi. The list of attendees was circulated to all departments of the government. It had the names and appointments of about 30 officers of R&AW. In a recent decision, the Central Information Commission has ordered the DoPT to give the names of all officers above the rank of joint secretary posted to R&AW from 2001 to 2008. So, the anonymity of R&AW officers is a myth.
It is common knowledge that R&AW officers are posted in foreign countries. The location of R&AW stations in India is also known to vendors who are given turn-key projects for installation of equipment, such as VSAT terminals.

Many say that if no action was taken against you, it would have encouraged other disaffected officers to write about intelligence agencies?
Not all officers who write books are disaffected. People like Sankaran Nair [former R&AW chief], T.S.R. Subramanian [former cabinet secretary] and General (retd) V.P. Malik [former Army chief] had reached the top of their professions. They can hardly be considered disaffected. Recently, an official history of MI-6, the British intelligence agency, was published. There are several books written by officers who have served in the CIA. Such books form a part of history. As you are aware, in 2008 a gag order was issued through a gazette, according to which all officers serving in such agencies will have to give an undertaking that they will not write anything after retirement. If they do, the officer will forfeit his pension. I believe the DoPT has asked the defence minister also to publish a similar gazette for armed forces personnel. If that happens, soon there will be no Indian military history.

There are a couple of books written by former intelligence officials, including one by B. Raman [former head of the counter-terrorism division of R&AW ] that accuses [former Prime Minister] Rajiv Gandhi of influencing the Bofors probe. The authors were never harassed.
The other authors, such as Raman, Sankaran Nair and [former IB joint director] Maloy Dhar, were insiders, who know much more than what they have written. If they are prosecuted, they will reveal many things which would be even more embarrassing. I was an outsider, and thus no threat to them. I became the victim of a personal vendetta. In my book, I had mentioned the names of many officers in R&AW who were inefficient and involved in corruption. I had also mentioned a senior officer who did not attend office for eight months after being overlooked for promotion. Though I have not mentioned his name in the book, it was common knowledge that the man was Ashok Chaturvedi, who later became the R&AW chief. I am told he was furious at the mention of this incident in the book. He and his number two, Sanjiv Tripathi, were instrumental in launching the case against me.

Are you saying that there were many attempts to harass and implicate you?
Yes, there were. While I was in R&AW, I had been given a Maruti car, without a driver, to commute. I was then staying at RK Puram. One night the car was stolen from outside my flat. I lodged an FIR next morning but the car was never found. A few months after the case against me was initiated, I came to know that some people in R&AW were trying to locate the person who had been my orderly at that time. They planned to pay him a large sum, and get him to state that the car was not stolen but had been sold by me.
They also tried to plant documents on me. I remember a few weeks before my home was raided on September 21, 2007, a person by the name of Shakti Prakash called me up. He said that he had read my book and that he was being harassed by R&AW as he was being forced to become an agent. I told him that I had retired and had nothing to do with R&AW now, but he pleaded for a meeting. I along with an Army colleague, who had also been with me in R&AW, met him at USI Library in Delhi. He handed over to me a bunch of papers and asked me to go through them and advise him what to do. The folder had letters addressed to the President, Prime Minister and many others, complaining of harassment by R&AW. I brought the folder home and forgot all about it. Later, when the CBI raided my house they took away the folder and produced it in court when they opposed my plea for anticipatory bail. I still don’t know whether Shakti Prakash was a plant, or a genuine sufferer at the hands of R&AW.

How easy is it for intelligence agencies to wrongly implicate a person?
Very easy. The Samba spy case is a ?perfect example. Innocent people spent 14 years in jail on charges trumped up by military intelligence. More recently, Captain B.K. Subbarao and Iftikar Geelani were similarly prosecuted and later acquitted. Unlike the famous Dreyfus case in France, where the persons who had falsely implicated him were punished, in India this never happens. On the other hand, they get out-of-turn promotions and monetary awards.
I became victim of personal vendetta: Maj Gen VK Singh
RAW: Controversies, Spies and Scandals- click here to read more

Poor Quality Hearing Aids- Approved Vendors Roam RR Corridors

ECHS AND HEARING AIDS
Dear Sirs,
This perhaps it is the third time that I am addressing the mail to IESM/ECHS. There has never been a reaction.I have met Col Dogra every month to find out if there is any firm policy on the hearing aid vendors. Once I met the Regional Director, who had no clear answer.
The case is simple. I am hard of hearing as far as higher frequencies are concerned. Also, listening in a hall is difficult.
RR Specialits recommended Digital hearing aid, in 2006. By 2007 I was tired of being offered COSTLY aids by mr Anand of Basrurkar market. The pieces offered by him were without any volume control. Cost, such as Rs 50000/- did not impress me.
Next I was directed to Vasant Vihar Optique. There too, COSTLY and even TWO pieces were offered to me but without a volume control. I did not take any.
Oi/c ECHS Lodi tells me that the above are the only vendors on the approved list. In Delhi we have ALPS, who offered a good and cheaper Aid to me but would not deal through ECHS. Same goes for the Hearing Aid shop in Noida, Chandigarh and Amritsar.
There is a need to review the policy on the hearing aids. More vendors, and if necessary some from out stations have also to be brought in the approved list. There has to be flexibility in the concept of PARENT Clinic, in this case.
I have said it earlier and am repeating it again:

I am not yet helpless.

There is a strong hold of two approved vendors in RR. Their staff is even seen moving around in the Eye and Throat Department.

Some of my friends fell in for COSTLY Aids, to keep them in the box, most of the time
With regards,
Maj Gen Satish Chandra(Retd)
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