RTI reply points to bungling in sale of Army vehicles

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 13

Replies received under the Right to Information Act (RTI) to queries pertaining to certain financial transactions by the Directorate General of Resettlement (DGR) have kicked up a row as a large sum of money has not been accounted for.

Information released by the DGR reveals that in 2009-11 about Rs 2.59 crore was collected by the DGR as security deposit for release of Army surplus vehicles. Out of this, Rs 2.76 lakh was refunded to the buyers for vehicles registered with the civilian transport authorities.

The balance amount remaining in the account concerned of the DGR, held with a nationalised bank, as of March 2015 was about Rs 17.60 lakh, according to the RTI reply. This implies that over Rs 2.38 crore remains unaccounted for. This prompted a retired officer to write to the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Defence Secretary and Chief fo the Army Staff to investigate the matter.

Ex-Servicemen, widows of defence personnel, who died while in service, and ex-servicemen co-operative societies can apply for allotment of Army surplus (class-5B) vehicles, subject to certain conditions. There are 42 types of vehicles that can be allotted and these are released from 12 Central Ordnance Depots across the country. These vehicles are available at highly concessional rates, with a jeep going for Rs 70,000 and a 3-ton truck for less than Rs 3 lakh.

A security deposit of Rs 1,000 for motor cycle, Rs 3,000 for light four-wheeled vehicle and Rs 8,000 for heavy vehicles has to be deposited with the DGR. This amount is refunded after the surplus vehicle purchased by ex-servicemen is registered with the civilian transport department concerned, which is required to be done within six months of release.

DGR officials, it transpires, were aware of financial misappropriation in the scheme. Some time ago, a Colonel posted as a Director in the DGR had lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police seeking registration of an FIR against a civilian clerk employed in the establishment for alleged embezzlement of public funds while performing duties of clerk-in-charge of allotment of surplus vehicles. The complaint said a preliminary inquiry for fact finding conducted by DGR officials had established a prima facie case against the clerk, though the amount mentioned in the complaint was only Rs 88,000.

Apart from financial embezzlement, the issue has also raised security concerns. Since the amount refunded indicates that only a small number of vehicles may have been registered with civilian authorities, the whereabouts of a large number of ex-military vehicles, the type of which are not available in the civilian market, remains unestablished, with the danger of them falling into the hands of subversive elements.