Lt Gen Dastan and Lt Gen Suhag are in the battle for succession

Lt Gen Allegedly Denied Appointment to Move Court
NEW DELHI | OCT 30, 2012
The dust has hardly settled after former Army Chief Gen V K Singh's court battle with the Government when another General is planning to move court to seek elevation as an Army Commander from June 1 which, if accepted, can create a possible succession row in the force.
Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen Ravi Dastane is planning to file a petition in the Armed Forces Tribunal in this regard in the next few days, his counsel Major S S Pandey said here today.
He said Lt Gen Dastane, who has already filed a statutory complaint with the Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh in this regard, is planning to make two main pleas before the Tribunal where he will seek elevation to the rank of Army Commander from June 1 this year retrospectively when two vacancies were existing.
The posts of Western and Eastern Army Commander had fallen vacant on May 31 after the retirement of Gen V K Singh, who was succeeded by Lt Gen Bikram Singh, and the Western Army Commander Lt Gen Shankar Ranjan Ghosh. Lt Gen Bikram Singh had headed the Eastern Command.
The Government had kept the post of Eastern Army Commander vacant for two to three days before Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag was appointed whereas Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachhra was appointed as the Western Army Commander on June 1.
The post was not filled as just before retirement, Gen V K Singh had put Lt Gen Suhag under a discipline and vigilance ban for a failed intelligence operation in Assam but the ban was lifted within 72 hours of Gen Bikram Singh's assuming office.
"On that day, Lt Gen Dastane was also eligible to be elevated as an Army Commander and we will plead before the AFT to give us that appointment," Pandey said.
If the plea is accepted, then Lt Gen Dastane may become senior to Lt Gen Suhag who is expected to succeed Gen Bikram Singh in July 2014 after his retirement.
The second main plea of Lt Gen Dastane would be to be appointed as an Army commander on January 31 when the post of Southern Army Command head falls vacant after Lt Gen A K Singh superannuates with seniority to be taken into account from June 1, Dastane's counsel said.
Though the Government considers all Army Commander-rank officers for elevation to the post of Army Chief but barring a few cases, it has gone ahead with the seniormost officer for the top job.
Commenting on the statutory complaint filed by the officer, Defence Ministry officials said it was pending and no decision has yet been taken.
On the vacancy of Eastern Army Commander being kept vacant for two-three days for Lt Gen Suhag, they said the Government had to take a holistic view of the situation as the officer was being targeted in a "motivated manner" by his then superiors.
Lt Gen Dastane has commanded the 14 Corps in Ladakh and was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) when troops in an artillery regiment beat up their officers in Nyoma during an exercise.
The Army has ordered a Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the incident and its outcome is still awaited.
Lt Gen Allegedly Denied Appointment to Move Court
Comment: The Military appointments are manipulated by MOD and Arms Lobbyists. There is handing and taking over to safeguard accrual of hidden assets that the appointment carries (example sample the Tatra scam revelation- a cut of Rs 14 crores for the chief).

Army pays Fake Encounter victim's family Rs 10 Lakhs

1997 CUSTODIAL DISAPPEARANCE CASE
Army approaches HC with compensation money for victim’s family
Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 9, 2012
Complying with the court directions in a 1997 custodial disappearance case, the Army has approached the High Court Registry with a cheque of Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the victim’s family.
Azizi Begum (63), the mother of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar of the Bemina Boatman Colony in Srinagar, had alleged that her son was taken into custody by 20 Grenadiers Unit of the Army in April, 1997, and was not seen thereafter. She had approached the High Court and filed a habeas corpus petition which was finally disposed of in her favour on March 25, 2011. Holding 20 Grenadiers of the Army responsible for the “enforced disappearance” of Mushtaq, the High court had directed the Union Defence Secretary to pay her a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
However, as the Defence Ministry failed to comply with the HC orders and did not pay the compensation amount, Azizi Begum approached the High Court with a contempt petition in December, 2011. Subsequently, the court on August 23 this year directed the Defense Ministry to deposit the said amount along with the interest in five weeks.
“On September 29, we approached the High Court Registry with a cheque of Rs 10 lakh plus the interest amount for depositing it with the bank,” the standing counsel for the Union of India, Karnail Singh Wazir, told The Tribune. “However, we were directed by the registry to file an application with the High Court for depositing the money as according to the registry, the due date for depositing the money was September 28,” he said, adding that afterwards, an application had been filed before the High Court, which was listed this week.
The court verdict, a first of its kind in any disappearance case, was based on an inquiry into the incident conducted by the Additional Sessions Judge, Srinagar, which had held the Army responsible for the “enforced disappearance” of Dar.
2011 COURT ORDERS: Holding 20 Grenadiers of the Army responsible for the “enforced disappearance” of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, the High court had directed the Union Defense Secretary to pay the victim’s mother, Azizi Begum, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
Army approaches HC with compensation money for victim’s family

Fake Encounters haunt the Army

Army forcing us to withdraw case against Gen Bikram Singh: NGO
Harinder Baweja, Hindustan Times
Srinagar, October 05, 2012
The army has been accused of putting pressure on the civil society in Kashmir to withdraw a PIL against its chief, General Bikram Singh.
YES Kashmir, an NGO, had approached the Jammu and Kashmir high court in October last year to raise the issue of an encounter that occurred in Janglat Mandi, Anantnag, in March 2001.
In the clash, Singh — then a brigadier posted in the Valley — suffered gunshot wounds while two army officials lost their lives.
According to the police, an alleged militant dressed as a beggar had approached Singh and opened fire. In the battle that ensued, the militant was killed.
The PIL, however, questions the police theory. A family had come forward in October 2011, claiming that it was their son Abdullah Bhat, an innocent bystander, who had been killed.
The timing of the PIL was questioned in military circles, with many seeing it as an attempt to narrow down Singh’s chances of becoming the army chief.
Soon after Singh took over as the chief of army staff, NGO head Khurshid Ahmed Mir approached the court once again and — in a sworn affidavit — claimed that the force was pressurising him.
Mir has now alleged in the affidavit that “officers of Sector–1 RR are pressurising me to help them withdraw the case by influencing relatives and the counsel for the petitioners… Since the case has turned out to be a high-profile one, I feel insecure in the hands of the army. They are repeatedly putting pressure on me, and can harm me and my family.”
The police had then closed the case, saying the beggar was actually Mateen Chacha — a Pakistan-trained Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist.
They are now refusing to produce a photograph of the ‘beggar’ or identify his grave, demands that the family has made through the PIL.
The board of officers inquiring into the funding of the controversial intelligence unit, constituted by former army chief Gen VK Singh, is now probing possible links between the ‘snoop unit’ and the NGO.
The inquiry notwithstanding, the petition can be embarrassing for the chief as well as the government, particularly if the court orders an investigation into the ‘fake encounter.’ The army declined to comment on the grounds that the inquiry was still on.
>Army forcing us to withdraw case against Gen Bikram Singh: NGO Comment: Fake Encounters and Gallantry Awards was a sure sign of Career Success for many Senior Officers. This short cut was fine tuned by AHQ from 1995 to 2007. When busted the reactions are for a cover up by all means... The AHQ CoI is waste of time. The Army is not designed for IS duties or Anti Insurgency ops. The designed role is only COMBAT- defensive and offensive.

Pathribal Fake Encounter: GCM starts against 5 officers

Pathribal Fake Encounter: Court martial starts against 5 officers 22/09/2012
The Army has commenced General Court Martial (GCM) proceedings at Nagrota-based 16 Corps headquarters against its five officers allegedly involved in the Pathribal fake encounter killing of five innocent men in Anantnag district of Kashmir more than 12 years ago.
“On Sept 20, the Army initiated disciplinary proceedings against the accused Army Officers in the alleged Pathribal fake encounter case”, an Army officer said.
Consequent to the Supreme Court’s Order, the Army had taken over the case from Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, and thereafter attached these officers to its Nagrota-based 16 Corps, he said.
Lt Gen A S Nandal, GOC 16 Corps in the capacity of Commanding Officer, heard the charges preferred by CBI against these officers and directed summary of evidence to be recorded against them, officer said.
Lt Gen Nandal heard the evidence led by Ashok Kalra, the CBI Inspector who had investigated the case, he said adding he also produced the document filed by CBI before a CBI court.
“All witnesses examined by CBI during its investigation will now be summoned to appear before the officer recording summary of evidence. After the summary of evidence is recorded, the final charge-sheet will be prepared for the next stage of proceedings”, he said.
On the aspect of change of location of the Court Martial proceedings, the Army spokesperson stated that GOC 15 Corps had contested the case on behalf of the accused persons right up to the Supreme Court and therefore, it was just and proper as also fair to the victims’ families that the disciplinary proceedings be conducted by another commander.
In the fag end of June month this year, the Army decided to try in GCM its five officers allegedly involved in the Pathribal fake encounter in March, 2000.
The Army moved an application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, the designated CBI court, seeking transfer of the case to the GCM.
The CJM directed transferring the records including the charge sheet and other material evidence to the GCM through the Army’s authorised officer.
The Army’s decision came after the Supreme Court on May 1 gave eight weeks’ time to it to decide whether the accused officers will be tried in the GCM or face a trial in the civilian court.
Brig Ajay Saxena, Lt Col Brajendra Pratap Singh, Maj Sourabh Sharma, Maj Amit Saxena and Subedar Idrees Khan were chargesheeted by the CBI in 2006 for killing five civilians and later dubbing them as foreign militants.
As per the CBI investigation, the five civilians were killed and branded as militants days after 35 Sikhs were massacred in the nearby Chattisingpora village.
The CBI had filed the charge sheet against the accused officers in 2006 but the Army contested maintainability of the charge sheet claiming that prior sanction from the Centre was required under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which provides immunity against prosecution to Army personnel deployed in disturbed areas.
The Army’s plea was rejected by all courts, including the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, till the Apex Court partly agreed with it saying prior sanction was required for prosecution.
Pathribal Fake Encounter: Court martial starts against 5 officers
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Institutional Integrity: Army takes a dive

Dear All,
Some of you may have already read it. I love the piece; it is no doubt levity - the facts have been presented with great humour and are soooo correct! Many of my conservative and the so called 'stiff upper lip' types seem to be outraged; they need to laugh more and analyse less! Do read it if you have the time.
Vijay Oberoi

'OP MOSES' to 'OP COVER UP’! Ooooh How Exciting!!!!
–– Shobha di
The handsome former Chief of the Indian Army who is now the Governor of Arunachal, General JJ Singh has made a profound statement in the Indian Express today where in an interview he claims that he ‘wrote-off’ two laptops while hammering out the 200,000 words that make up his autobiography! Such unbridled passion!! One wonders how many other things he ‘wrote-off’ apart from Generals Ravi Arora and VK Singh while implementing the by now infamous ‘Op Moses’. And since any comment is trashed by the Government and certain members of the press as being communal, I might as well say ‘hai rabba' to express my deep sense of admiration for the man whose will be but a hard act to follow.
The Chief benefactor of Op Moses has within days of taking over launched his own Op Cover Up despite having made brave statements about not brushing things under the carpet. With the media watching the carpet with an eagle eye, the good General is stuffing the Suhag scandal in his already full closet. That closet has a few secrets that need to be looked at in light of the decisive step that General Bikram Singh has taken even before his name-plate has gone up outside Army House!
Sources close to the previous Chief, General VK Singh had confirmed that the Show Cause Notice was issued on the basis of the findings of a Court of Enquiry held on the orders of Eastern Command. It was the Chief of Staff of Eastern Command who had asked Lt Gen Dalbir Suhag to investigate the complaint sent by an officer about the wrong doings in the Corps’ Intelligence unit. This letter, written in January this year asked for a reply by end February and it is now common knowledge that Eastern Command did not get any response from 3 Corps. So who should have chased 3 Corps?
The Army Commander himself! I guess technically he should have also been issued a SCN, but as the Chief designate had General VK Singh done that, we would have lost many Generals – albeit retired ones! I’m quite sure all the dearies with big big ‘muchis’ like Ashok Mehta, Shankar Prasad and what’s his name… that Kadyan fellow, would have spluttered and had instant heart attacks had VK (looked oh so dapper in uniform!) done that. And that on Prime Time! Sexy reality TV dahlings!
But let’s get serious - so now the ‘bail out’ has been done by the same personality (he too looks oh so sexy in uniform – you can’t blame me for going on about this, I love those medals! A few more and they would go even to the back of the chest!). All those twits yammering about Institutional Integrity will no doubt say daft sentimental things like “the message to the men will be very clear that you can abdicate responsibility and nothing will happen to you etc. etc.” Those guys are all loosers – ask that cutie who keeps coming on NDTV who was also once in the Army… that guy with a funny nose, who is often talking to Barkha (she really must do something about her dress sense) – the one who said thank god VK’s tenure is over because he only fought loosing battles and who wants to be on the loosing side anyway! The way he jumped ship, Nelson would have been proud of him. Now that a Metropolitan judge has summoned the former Chief in the bribery case, the cutie and all the others will be pontificating on TV tonight for sue about how right they were!
Who ever is so daft as to refuse a bribe! And even more daft to report it! We are now going to get a general to lead the Eastern Army who did not have the courage to reply to a SCN and who promptly ran away on leave. As they say moral courage is NO LONGER REQUIRED these days. So what’s the big deal? That’s been the trend of leadership in any case. Ask the tailors in MHOW who stitch all senior officer’s suits – they’ll tell you how dog tabs are accompanied by trousers where the zip is put at the back!
Anyway, these Generals all confuse me... my knees going weak also affects other parts of my body. I need to find a legal eagle type to explain these things to me. It seems the disciplinary order imposed by General VK Singh when he was COAS was the result of a quasi-judicial decision in exercise of powers and discharge of duties under the Army Act and Rules there under. The choice from alternatives available under the disciplinary rules was discretionary with the disciplinary authority. The judgment of the disciplinary authority cannot be reviewed by the same disciplinary authority because the present COAS himself was a part of the problem. While the SCN was not disposed of fully, and it was open for the successor incumbent COAS to judge the case in the light of the response given to the notice, he had no moral jurisdiction to overturn the DV ban. Most importantly, he cannot sit in judgment of himself having been the Eastern Army Commander who was morally also in the same little boat! At best he should have recused himself!
It is settled law that a quasi-judicial decision can be set aside only for malafides or an error of law apparent on the face of the record and only by the High Court or a designated Appellate Authority. It cannot be set aside by the successor COAS because he is NOT the appellate or reviewing authority. The exercise of discretion was by the then COAS. A successor incumbent cannot sit in judgment on that exercise of discretion because he is a co-equal and the exercise of power was complete in law at the point of first instance. Only a higher power can do it.
So I guess that brings us right back to dear ol’ Antony! The ball, as always, is now squarely back in his court! Poor dear… he must be feeling like one of those guys they show in the comic books who is trying to unsuccessfully get rid of sticky chewing gum! But you know the Antony-types, they always have a great cop out – orders from above! It’s time the poor old dear realized that certificates of good character from has-beens who the bureaucracy outwitted completely will not really matter. It really must be very scary for him to be surrounded by such specimens – each a bearded Greek God! And when in ceremonials they even have swords!
Why has the Indian judiciary become so ineffective in controlling the exercise of powers? Looks like everyone is sitting in judgment of himself and giving fancy certificates exonerating themselves! The list is growing by the day.
Oh dear, I am really worried sick thinking about what can happen. But now I’m off for JJs book launch… maybe if I’m lucky he might even tell me who will be replacing General Suhag as the COAS in 2017. Then I can write a tell-all book on ‘Op Bale Bale’!
Comment: The new Chief is likely to set new norms which will make Knight Chedwode dizzy in his heavenly abode and put the premier training institute's integrity to test.

OROP: Government counsel misleading the Supreme Court

Read in conjuction with:

OROP twists, turns and twirls

Raw deal to the Armed Forces by Lt Gen SK Bahri
Subject: IESM Gov Body 07 Jun evening
Dear Colleagues,
I had a meeting with Mr Salman Khurshid, the Minister of Law & Justice today. I apprised him of the unfortunate fact of the government challenging each and every judgment of the lower courts that go in favour of the ESM. I explained details of the disability broad banding case where a judgment of the AFT has been challenged despite instructions of the Defence Minister (issued on 06 Mar 2012) to the contrary. He was also apprised of the government counsel misleading the SC in many cases, such as in the case of Hony Naib Sub (leading to a judgment that only those pre 1.1.2006 Hony Naib Sub be given the pension of a regular Nb Sub, who get the Hony rank while being in service).
On the point of the goverment dragging its feet in not implementing the SC judgment, I gave a concrete example in the form of a written handout on the ongoing rank pay case, with a request that either the government withdraw its appeal and implements the SC judgment of 08.03.2010 or the solicitor General be made to attend the next hearing on 04.09.2012 so that the case is finally disposed of. He promised to look into all these points.
Making use of the opportunity, I also sought his help as a Cabinet Minister in prevailing upon the government in sanctioning OROP. He wanted to understand the various nuances of OROP which I explained. I mentioned to him about my letter to the Congress President in Oct 2011 where I had said non-grant of OROP may affect the ESM voting pattern in Assembly and Parliamentary elections, further underscoring the fact that this may have happened in the recent elections in UP and Punjab. I also mentioned that anti Congress sentiments of the ESM may be even stronger during the 2014 Parliamentary elections. He promised to do what he can.
Best regards,
Lt Gen Raj Kadyan
Chairman IESM
Comment: All ESM organisations need to be apolitical. The Politicians know that the armed forces and their families just constitute 1% of the total population. Even out of this percentage Serving and Veterans do not bother to vote. Even if 50% vote, it is meagre and well under 0.5% of total Voters. The impact will be near negligible except for the states like Punjab, Himachal, Haryana and Rajastan where perhaps the voters percentage may exceed marginally by a percent. "Service before Self" must be the motto of all ESMs and being balanced will pay dividends in the long run. The Government intent is to make monkey of the Armed Forces. All Political Parties (except for few Independents) treat Armed Forces like the Nation's super Police Force and not as a Professional Army. The long Battle with insurgency is a quid pro arrangement between Government and Military- former reducing the sheen of the professional army and later to ensure the selected Officers are annointed for gallantry awards with decorations for guaranteed promotions (in most cases fakes go as real). This arrangement suits the Political Community as it constantly diminishes the image of the Military. The Officer Shortage will continue to haunt till the Glamour of Professional Army is restored. This is not likely to happen in the near future. Incidently Pandit Nehru trusted the Malabar Police more than the Military during the 1962 conflict (Krishna Menon propped up the calibre of Malabar Police). Nothing has changed... MOD, MHA, PMO, MEA have more trust on the PMF's than on the Indian Military... their scope and range is enlarging much more than their mandate... here we are reminded of Nidhi Razdan's Left Right and Centre refrain... "Let us look at the Bigger Picture".... maybe we will get the true reflection!

Army Fake Encounters: Prosecute without sanction under AFSPA

‘No sanction needed for army men’s prosecution’: CBI to SC
The CBI on Friday told the Supreme Court that no sanction was required either under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or Code of Criminal Procedure Code for prosecution of army officers allegedly involved in the fake encounter killings of five persons at Parthibal in Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior counsel for CBI Ashok Bhan told a bench of justices BS Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar that the question of sanction would arise only after cognizance had been take by a magistrate, but in the present decade-old case the army chose to challenge the prosecution at the time of the charge sheet.

‘No sanction needed for army men`s prosecution’

Seven people were gunned down by army personnel on March 25, 2000, at Pathribal in South Kashmir and they were branded as terrorists of Lashker-e-Taiba group who were responsible for the gunning down of 36 Sikhs at Chittisingpura in the same district on the intervening night of March 19-20, 2000.

Citing a catena of apex court judgements, Bhan said, “Sanction is not required. Colour of duty is very important if it is not in accordance with the nature of duty and colour of office then no immunity is available to army officers.

“Institution of the case is not necessarily to be accompanied by sanction and the question of sanction will arise only after cognizance had been taken under 190 CrPC.”

Meanwhile, Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran sought time from the bench for placing on record the Centre’s view on the controversy between CBI and army on the issue.

‘No sanction needed for army men`s prosecution’

Bhan said the so-called weapons recovered from the scene of “fake encounter” was actually planted by army personnel.

“Therefore, it is a case of fake encounter murders which cannot be immune under section 6 and 7 of AFSPA. So it will come under the ordinary penal law of the country, CBI does not need prior sanction,” he said. -via Zee News
‘No sanction needed for army men’s prosecution’: CBI to SC

Potential army chief Bikram Singh gets clean chit.
Monday, 16 January 2012 07:3
Srinagar: The northern army commander, Lt General KT Parnaik, on Sunday virtually exonerated Eastern Command chief Lt General Bikram Singh in a fake-encounter controversy, saying a closure report had been filed after a joint investigation with police.
Singh faces allegations that the I Sector Rashtriya Rifles unit in Kashmir, which he headed in 2001, faked a gunfight to kill a civilian and pass him off as a foreign militant at Janglat Mandi in Anantnag district.
The "encounter" had killed a colonel, a soldier, two civilians and the alleged foreign militant, Mateen Chacha. Singh was left injured.
The allegations arose last year after Singh emerged as the front-runner for the post of army chief following the row over the age of the incumbent, General VK Singh.
click here to read more

Comment: Army alongwith the Police needs to come clean on all fake encounters for which gallantry awards have been dispensed to the cowards. The culprits need to be brought to book!

Army chief race turns murky as allegations fly

Army chief in waiting - Lt Gen Bikram Singh



Army chief race turns murky as allegations fly
Josy Joseph, TNN Jan 11, 2012, 04.15AM IST
Lt Gen Bikram Singh is likely to become the Chief of Army Staff after Gen VK Singh retires because he is the senior-most officer in the Indian Army and the government rarely deviates from the seniority principle in deciding the Army chief.
NEW DELHI: Just when the controversy over the age of Army chief Gen V K Singh is beginning to die down, a set of allegations have cropped up against his likely successor Lt Gen Bikram Singh, making the issue of who should head the world's second largest standing army a murky affair.

Most serious of the complaints against Lt Gen Bikram Singh is a decade-old, and concerns an encounter in Kashmir on March 1, 2001. Lt Gen Bikram Singh, then a brigadier heading counter-insurgency operations in the area, was injured and a colonel killed. A local NGO 'Youth Empowerment Services of Kashmir' has been petitioning various authorities in Delhi and in Kashmir countering Army's claim that the operation resulted in the killing of a foreign militant named Mateen Chacha.

The group has alleged that the deceased was actually a 70-year-old local named Abdullah Bhat, a resident of Machil, Kupwara, who was shown as a foreign militant. The NGO has not dropped its campaign despite the clean chit to Lt Gen Bikram Singh from the local police.

In what may appear to be part of a chain, an MP has also written to the prime minister questioning Lt Gen Bikram Singh's suitability to lead the Army on the ground that his daughter in-law is from Pakistan. The intelligence establishment, approached by the PMO, gave an all-clear to Lt General Bikram Singh but this has not spelt respite for him.

There are also anonymous complaints doing the rounds about Lt Gen Bikram Singh's posting in African on a UN peacekeeping mission, and failure to contain disciplinary breaches by some Indian Army soldiers. Some members of an Indian Army battalion are accused of fathering children, by illegal sexual contacts with local women, while they were posted in Africa.

There are three possible scenarios that heighten concerns within the government about the succession battle. One, if Gen V K Singh retires as per the government records, then Lt Gen Bikram Singh could be announced as the next chief by March 31. If Gen VK Singh were to continue until 2013, then Lt Gen KT Parnaik, who is heading the Northern Army Command, would be the senior-most officer in line.

In case Gen VK Singh resigns abruptly in the coming weeks, before the government announces Lt Gen Bikram Singh as the new chief, then there could a further twist to the succession battle. Given the complexities of the scenario, government sources said they were warily watching allegations being flung around.
Army chief race turns murky as allegations fly

Comment: The Indian Army Chief to succeed Gen VK Singh should be above board. The succession plan plotted by Bureaucrats should be examined, shelved and mischief makers brought to book.

Race for Army Chief: Janglat Mandi encounter Faked

Race for Army Chief: Janglat Mandi encounter may mar Gen Bikram’s chances
Tuesday, 10 Jan 2012 at 12:26
Petition seeking re-investigation into 10-yr-old case to decide his fate
ISHFAQ TANTRY
SRINAGAR, JAN 09: The chances of Lt. Gen Bikram Singh, army’s Eastern Command chief to become new chief of Indian army may be hit hard by the alleged Janglat Mandi fake encounter case as a writ petition in this regard is still pending before Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
The tenure of present army chief General V K Singh is likely to end in May this year following controversy surrounding his date of birth.
Eastern Command Chief Lt Gen Bikram Singh, Northern Commander chief Lt Gen K T Parnaik and present Vice Chief of Army Lt Gen Krishna Singh are the front runners to succeed General Singh. Traditionally, the senior-most officer is appointed as the army chief and in this case Lt Gen Bikram Singh is the senior-most and most-likely to be appointed for the top post.
However, chances of Lt Gen Bikram Singh may be hit hard by alleged Janglat Mandi fake encounter case. The outcome of the writ petition pending disposal before J&K High Court is crucial and may ultimately decide his fate. In the second scenario, if General Singh decided to take the D.O.B row to Court, then Northern Command Chief Lt. General Parnaik has fair chances to succeed him as new Army chief.
It is pertinent to mention here J&K High Court had on October 13, 2011 issued notices to State government and Indian Defence Ministry and asked them to file their objections in a writ petition, seeking reinvestigation of the alleged fake encounter that took place at Janglat Mandi Islamabad in 2001. The court had summoned all the records pertaining to case (FIR 72/2001) from District Sessions Court Islamabad for perusal.
In the writ petition titled Zaituna versus J&K State, it was alleged that the encounter that took place at Janglat Mandi, Islamabad on March 1, 2001 was not genuine but a fake encounter in which many innocent Kashmiris were killed by army and government sponsored gunmen Ikhwanis’ and later passed off as foreign militants.
Contesting claims of Army and police that an elderly foreign militant identified as Mateen Chacha was killed in the encounter, the petition submitted to court that the elderly man dubbed as foreign militant was a civilian.
“The fact is that Mateen was none other than 70 year old civilian Abdullah Bhat son of Qadir Bhat of Machil Kupwara”, said petitioners Zaituna and Jana (mother and sister of the Abdullah Bhat).
The petition has sought re-investigation in the case and prayed that Special Investigation Team of police be tasked to book the culprits.
“We have been running from pillar to post to know the whereabouts of Abdullah Bhat. Somehow they came to know that he was gunned down by forces in 2001 in Janglat Mandi, Islamabad and labeled as a foreign militant”, the petitioners said and demanded that the grave of victim should be identified and DNA test carried out.
They said DNA profile of the deceased should be matched with those of the family members. “The photographs of the victim taken by the police should be shown to family”, they further demanded.
In the encounter, whose veracity is under challenge before the court, besides, Abdullah Bhat two civilians and two army men were also killed. The dead included Colonel J P Jam, the then Commanding Officer of a local R R Unit, Sepoy Ganesh Kumar, Mohammad Shafi son of Abdul Rasheed of Hazratbal Islamabad and Abdul Ahad Sheikh son of Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh of Janglat Mandi.
According to police FIR, two persons also sustained injuries in the 2001 encounter and they included present Eastern Command chief Lt Gen Bikram Singh, who was a Brigadier then and headed 5 Sector Rashtriya Rifles headquarters at Khanabal Islamabad. A civilian Ajaz Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of S K Colony Islamabad was also injured.
Meanwhile, police has absolved Eastern Command chief of all the charges.
“We have nothing against him as far investigation of the case is concerned”, DGP Kuldeep Khoda told Rising Kashmir.
Sources said police higher ups had recently sought a report from the concerned police district (Islamabad) and it said the encounter was genuine and there was no case against Lt Gen Bikram Singh.
The petition seeking re-investigation of Janglat Mandi fake encounter was listed for hearing before Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar on December 28. However, the petition was deferred and is now expected to be listed for further hearing in February, when High Court, Srinagar re-convenes after month long winter vacations.
The Janglat Mandi “fake” encounter was first highlighted by a youth empowerment organization namely Youth Empowerment Services of Kashmir (YES-Kashmir), headed by Tanweer Ahmad, who in November 2011 held a protest march in New Delhi to highlight the real story behind Janglat Mandi encounter
Race for Army Chief: Janglat Mandi encounter
Comment: Why Fake encounters were encouraged earlier by the AHQ? This was primarily to win the race for the next promotion- a mandatory requirement of a Gallantry award is essential for racing and climbing up the ladder! All fake encouter authors must be identified and suitably punished for killing innocent lives rather than rewarding them to kill the organisation.

Fake IAS Officer

Reference: Indian fakes galore: Now a fake GOI Memorandum
Hyderabad, April 27
The local police arrested a woman claiming to be an IAS officer in PMO on charges of cheating, police said on Wednesday.
“The woman identified as Suman Singh was a resident of Asifnagar locality here, and was presently staying at Rameshnagar in New Delhi," V Narasimha Reddy, inspector of police in Central Crime Station said . Singh, who was arrested on Tuesday, used to fake her identity as an OSD (officer on special duty), Reddy said. — PTI
Fake woman IAS officer held
Comment: Fake Democracy Graduating!

Fake Pilots and Fake Passports- Is Air Travel Safe?

India may have 4000 'fake' pilots
NDTV Correspondent, Updated: March 14, 2011 00:23 IST
New Delhi: Just a few days after Parminder Kaur Gulati, a suspended pilot of Indigo airline, was arrested on charges of faking her marksheet to get a pilot licence, another arrest on the same grounds has been made. This time around, Captain J K Verma, a pilot of the national carrier Air India has been arrested.

"We have arrested Verma. Investigations are on. We have been provided more names by the Directorate General Civil Aviation (DGCA). The scanner is on two more pilots - Meenakshi Sehgal of Indigo and Swaran Singh Talwar of MDLR," a senior police official said.

It all began after Parminder Kaur Gulati was grounded two months ago for violating landing norms. The matter was then reported to the aviation watchdog, the DGCA. The airline watchdog admits there was a lapse, but says 4000 pilot licences are now under fresh scrutiny.

"In the wake of the fake pilot scare, licenses of 3,000 to 4,000 pilots are being scrutinised by the DGCA," said Civil Aviation secretary Nasim Zaidi.

To get a licence, a pilot has to clear three subjects. But in Gulati's case, a probe by the DGCA showed she couldn't clear two papers, so she allegedly forged the marksheets.
Read more at: Fake Pilots

MEA dishes out Fake Passports for a bribe
Chennai: The CBI unearthed a passport racket in Tamil Nadu being run allegedly in connivance with officials, arresting eight persons, including a woman officer. The accused, arrested in Madurai and Chennai, have been charged with issuing Tatkal passports based on forged and fake documents.

The investigating agency also recovered cash and other property to the tune of around Rs. 25 lakh from them. CBI teams conducted simultaneous surprise checks at the passport offices in Madurai and Chennai and arrested the officials and touts, a release of the agency said.
Read more at:
Chennai: CBI unearths fake passport racket, 8 held
How easy for terrorists to get a Indian Passport?
Honest Regional Passport Officer, Chennai, Sumathi Ravichandran arrested for taking Bribes- what is her status- a free bird?
Comment:
MEA staff in India and all over the world are the most corrupt. What message is SM Krishna sending to the World? MEA has participatory role in Terror activities. Should not the MEA staff be booked under "Anti- Terror Laws"?

Murder: Macchil killings point to malaise in military

The Hindu: Praveen Swami: SRINAGAR, June 6, 2010
Forensic investigators found no evidence to support the proposition that a fire-fight had taken place: the three victims had all been shot through the head at point blank range.

Shah, a former jihadist who was recruited to the 161 Territorial Army Battalion, is believed to have told the police that Major Singh paid each of the conspirators Rs. 50,000 for helping to kidnap the victims.

Police sources told The Hindu that Colonel Pathania kept Rs. 2,00,000 of the source-payment funds authorised by XV corps. Major Singh is thought to have kept Rs.1,50,000.

The 4 Rajput claimed to have recovered Kalashnikov assault rifles, three other assault rifles, 230 rounds of ammunition and grenades from the killed men. The police believe that they were likely part of a cache recovered by troops along the Line of Control in 2009.

Military sources say the killings were likely driven by intense pressure to secure operational success — a prerequisite for promotions in the Army's intensely competitive hierarchy. The 4 Rajput had registered little counter-infiltration success, compared with other units in the 53 Brigade and adjoining 104 Brigade's areas of operations. The police are now investigating the possibility that the 4 Rajput might have staged an earlier shootout that took place in August 2009 in the Sonapindi pass.

Key to the malaise, the Jammu and Kashmir government believes, is the Army's failure to act against rogue elements.
Read full acount of military misadventure: The Hindu: Macchil killings point to malaise in military

Gen Jaiswal said, “It (inquiry) will be totally transparent and the truth will be there.... The inquiry is on. Our genuine concern is to be transparent. This is the first step. And this should be the indicator that subsequently we will be coming out with the truth.”

This is the second time that the Army has removed a serving officer from a command. Earlier, Colonel Gloria of 33 Rashtriya Rifles was removed for allegedly killing three boys who were playing cricket in a playground in Dudipora-Handwara in February 2006, three months after he had taken over the reins of the counter-insurgency unit.
Read more: Colonel removed, Major suspended in J&K fake encounter case: click here