Army hands over ordnance depot scam to CBI sleuths

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 11

A corruption case, involving a brigadier and four other officers for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 56 crore to the government, has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Army after have having pursued disciplinary proceedings for about three years.

The Army decided to pass on the case to the CBI on the grounds that besides a large sum of money being involved, a number of civilians were also associated with the matter and it was not administratively feasible for the Army to handle the case, sources said. The matter was handed over to the CBI during the past few days. During the last hearing in January, the Tribunal was informed that the Army was seriously contemplating to hand over the case to the CBI.

Among the five officers involved, who include three colonels and a lieutenant colonel, three, including the brigadier, have retired. While posted at the Central Ordnance Depot, Agra, they allegedly procured items at highly exorbitant rates as well as downgraded equipment for disposal without following due process.

A court of inquiry, presided over by the General Officer Commanding, Paschim Uttar Pradesh Sub Area at Meerut, was constituted in January 2017 after complaints of misappropriations and financial irregularities were received by the office of the Chief of Army Staff.

The officers were held blameworthy for their acts of commission and omission, and were attached with Headquarters Purva Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh Sub Area for recording of the summary of evidence (SOE). The SOE in this case was recorded twice.

According to the tentative charge-sheet, the professional officers’ valuation board, tender documents and price negotiation committee proceedings were approved for procuring various items from a private firm well knowing that the rates that were much higher than the last purchased price rates, thereby causing loss to the government.

The charge-sheet also states that the said firm was not registered with the Directorate General of Quality Assurance as was required. Further, a large quantity of communication and electro-optical equipment and generators were downgraded without going through the stipulated echelons of repairs.