Dodging the bullets

Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor may have managed to squeeze out of his confrontation with top Army Commander Lt Gen HS Panag, but may not be so lucky with fresh trouble brewing with his top legal adviser. Sources indicate that while the Defence Ministry bailed him out on the Panag issue, it will not be forthcoming in a case involving the Judge Advocate General who has strongly protested against a “frivolous” court of inquiry initiated against him. With the Army dogged by issues of corruption, sexual misconduct and financial impropriety amongst general-rank officers, the court of inquiry is looking into charges like copyright violations, promotion of a book and direct communication with civil authorities against the JAG. The buzz is that this has not gone unnoticed by the Ministry.