Delhi HC stays Lt Gen Sahni’s court martial

In the first of its kind case, the Army decided to initiate court martial proceedings against a retired Lieutenant General on corruption charges but he got temporary reprieve with the Delhi High Court staying such action.

In the first of its kind case, the Army on Friday decided to initiate court martial proceedings against a retired Lieutenant General on corruption charges but he got temporary reprieve with the Delhi High Court staying such action.

Lt Gen (retd) S K Sahni and six serving officers including a Major General and two Brigadiers were indicted by a court of inquiry on charges of procuring poor quality pulses for soldiers fighting insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir four years ago.

Following the Army decision to proceed against him, Sahni moved the High Court which granted him interim stay.

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A Bench headed by Justice A K Sikri passed the interim orders hours after the Army said it would court martial Sahni on November 26.

“We direct that there shall be no court martial proceedings convened,” Justice A K Sikri said in his orders, giving relief to the retired officer, who went to the High Court today after the Army Western Command General Officer Commanding-in-Chief issued summons to him.

Sahni, who served as the Director General (Supplies and Transport) in Army headquarters and retired from that post in 2006, will be the seniormost army officer, serving or retired, to face such disciplinary proceedings under the Army Act.

The Army invoked laws that provided for action against erring officers after retirement. Sahni and the six officers moved the Delhi High Court against the 2007 findings of the Court of Inquiry which held them guilty.

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The serving officers moved the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict and their cases are still pending.