Financial irregularities: Colonel found ‘blameworthy’ by Army court in Rajasthan

The inquiry has found that prima facie the allegations levelled against the officer were correct and that action needed to be taken against him as per military rules and regulations.

The Court of Inquiry has been done by Commander of an armoured brigade stationed in Bikaner with two Colonels as its members. The Colonel who was facing the inquiry had been commanding a battalion of the Army Service Corps (ASC) and had been posted out of the unit when the posters sprung up one morning at Bikaner Military Station. After recalling the Colonel to the station, the inquiry examined a large number of witnesses which corroborated the allegations against the Colonel to a large extent, informed a senior officer.

As reported by The Indian Express in July this year, the Army authorities suspected that that the posters denouncing the Colonel had been put up late at night as they were noticed by morning walkers who informed the local authorities after which these were taken down.

However, photographs of the posters went viral on social media and taking a serious note of the development, the Army decided to convene a Court of Inquiry.

The inquiry had been asked to ascertain the truth behind the allegations made in the posters as also to identify the individuals who have violated military discipline by putting these up.

It is not known, however, if anyone has been blamed for putting these posters up. Bikaner is the headquarters of an army infantry division which forms the part of Bathinda-headquartered 10 Corps.

The posters, which had been typed in bold letters Hindi read “Karnal… (name withheld) Kaman Adhikari… (Unit name withheld) sabse bada chor. Hum jawano ke 5,00,000 rupaye kha gaya. Humein GOC sahib se jawab chahiye”. It is learnt that the allegations were raised publicly at a time when the Commanding Officer, against whom the charges have been made, was proceeding on posting from Bikaner after completion of his tenure.

A senior Army officer familiar with the legal proceedings in such cases said that now that the inquiry has been completed it will be upto the inquiry’s convening authority to decide whether the officer will face administrative action or disciplinary action. In case the course of action is decided, the officer may face trial by a General Courts Martial (GCM).