Land Scam: Army moves in to punish 4 Generals

The Indian Army on Monday decided to issue show cause notices to a top General and three other senior officers named in a land scam in Darjeeling, amidst speculation that soon-to-retire Military Secretary Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash may escape sacking.

The four officers will be given 30 days time to show cause why action cannot be taken against them for issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to a private realtor in Siliguri to purchase a 70-acre land adjacent to Sukna military station.

Sources said the show cause notices will be issued in a couple of days.

A decision on possible further action would depend on the replies to the show cause notices, top army officials said tonight. Prakash effectively would have retired on January 31 before the expiry of the 30-day notice period escaping dismissal.

Army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor issued the directions in this regard to Adjutant General Lt Gen Mukesh Sabharwal on Monday evening, the officials said.

However, under Army law, Gen Prakash will be liable to punishment, disciplinary action or administrative action up to three years after his retirement. It could be loss of pension and other retirement benefits. Gen Prakash as Military Secretary is one of the top eight advisors to Gen Kapoor.

"Only after the replies are received by the Army headquarters would a decision on whether administrative or disciplinary action should be taken in the case be arrived at," the officials said.

Lt Gen Prakash, along with Lt Gen P K Rath, Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali and Maj Gen P Sen were found "culpable" by an Army probe in the sale of the 70-acre land to a private realtor on the basis of a No Objection Certificate issued by the Sukna military station.