Coast Guard DIG Loshali shunted out for remarks on Pakistan boat, to face further action

READ: Coast Guard responds with a Board of Inquiry and footage of a boat on fire

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“He has not been given any responsibility. A three-member inquiry board will take inputs from various agencies and individuals, and submit its report to the Coast Guard HQ in four weeks,” said an official from the Defence Ministry.

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While the government has claimed that the Pakistani boat had been set on fire by its crew, Loshali told an audience of Coast Guard and Larsen & Toubro officials on February 15 that on “31st December night. I was there at Gandhinagar, and I told at night, blow the boat off. We don’t want to serve them biryani”.

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According to the Defence Ministry official, the inquiry board, which will be headed by a senior officer of DIG-rank, was collecting inputs from those who were on duty at the time of the incident. “Based on the final report submitted by the BoI, the action on DIG Loshali could either be disciplinary or administrative,” the official said.

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Loshali’s remarks were first reported by The Indian Express on February 18 after which the officer claimed he was misquoted. However, this newspaper subsequently released a video of his speech following which the Coast Guard issued a showcause notice to the officer, giving him 48 hours to reply. His reply was “found unsatisfactory”, leading to the Board of Inquiry.