In a controversial move, the Army has recommended for promotion a Major General who is currently being investigated by the CBI for having assets disproportionate to known income. This puts him in contention for the post of Director General of Ordnance Services.The Army’s action is said to have caused resentment within the Defence Ministry, which had provided all the paperwork ahead of the Army Commanders’ Conference, which decides on promotions.The CBI had filed an FIR against Major General Anand Kapoor in October after they uncovered assets worth Rs 5.3 crore during multiple raids in Jaipur and Delhi. Still, he was put in contention for the top ordnance post —- putting him in-charge of all ordnance procurements for the Army —- at the recent Army Commander’s Conference in the capital.While the final decision on the matter will be taken by the Defence Ministry after getting clarifications from the CBI, ministry officials are said to be unhappy over the Army’s move.In October, CBI sleuths had conducted searches at Jaipur, Shimla, Gurgaon and Mumbai, and recovered “incriminating documents” pertaining to property dealings by the officer. Major General Kapoor is currently posted as the Major General (Army Ordnance Corps) at the Jaipur-based South Western Command.Incidentally, the race for the next head of the lucrative Ordnance Services Directorate has been mired in controversy, with allegations about the officers contending for the post flying thick and fast.Only Major Generals (Army Ordnance Corps) of the South Western Command, Western Command and Northern Command are eligible for a promotion to take over the post. However, the officer from the Northern Command was named in an alleged “scam” involving procurement of sub-standard tents for soldiers in September. The subsequent court of inquiry conducted by the present Western Command Chief, Lt Gen Tej Sapru, however, ruled out any mishandling in the procurements.The second officer, Maj Gen Kapoor, was raided by the CBI in October, weeks before the decision for the top post had to be taken. Kapoor reportedly told investigators that the assets recovered were part of his family inheritance.The Army’s top officers have been named in a slew of cases in recent months. Earlier, in September, a Major General commanding a division in Leh was attached for inquiry after a woman officer filed a complaint of sexual harassment. The Army court of inquiry recently found sufficient grounds to proceed on a full-scale general court martial against the officer.In the past three years, 25 armed forces officers have been reprimanded or cashiered for various offences ranging from financial irregularities to conduct unbecoming of an officer. According to figures quoted in Parliament, several Lt General- and Major General-level officers too have been indicted in such cases.
