Citizen groups demand Nirvikar Singh’s court martial,probe of his ex-chief’s role

CSM president Brigadier K S Kahlon (retd) said that in the last five years,they have been crying foul about the unwarranted and unauthorised involvement of Major Nirvikar in land-grabbing acts of the UT Administration. “The truth has now been uncovered. The involvement of Nirvikar in the land dealings for the controversial mega projects has come to light. The farmers have been paid a pittance for the land acquired for the mega projects. Justice should now be done,” Kahlon said.

He added: “It will be the interest of the nation if Major Nirvikar is removed forthwith from the present sensitive assignment in RAW and attached to some local military station till the completion of CBI inquiry and Military Court of Inquiry.”

It was pointed out that as per the Army Act,all serving defence personnel are required to report to their service headquarters about acquisition and disposal of all kinds of movable and immovable property. Such property returns are also required to be scrutinised and countersigned by a superior officer. The farmers said that this should have been done by General Rodrigues in the case of Nirvikar,which indicates that the former UT administrator knew the details of investments made by his associate.

Social activist Hemant Goswami emphasised that it was a clear-cut case,which calls for a court martial by the Indian Army. “Since it appears that Gen Rodrigues not only helped Nirvikar amass disproportionate wealth but also facilitated and participated with him and even signed his annual property declaration,the Army has full authority to summon Gen Rodrigues,too in the court martial and punish him if found guilty,” said Goswami.

The gathering demanded that the assets of all officers who have stayed in Chandigarh since 2004 onwards should be probed. They also said that the land that has not been utilised due to the scrapping of mega projects be returned to farmers and a comprehensive plan about acquisition for the next 50 years be prepared.