PMO wants list of defence officers under a cloud

Indian Military Veterans

Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 6
In what could be the first steps towards stemming corruption and ensuring fair play in the Army, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has reportedly sought details of gazetted officers in the Ministry of Defence who have been under a cloud.

According to sources, a detailed letter sent by the Vigilance Department of the Defence Ministry to the three Services and other establishments like the Defence Research and Development Organisation and the National cadet Corps, the list of such officers is to be sent to the PMO by June 12.

This move comes in the wake of another directive issued by the PMO that decision making in matters concerning the armed forces would not be the exclusive domain of the bureaucracy and that military leadership is to be involved in and consulted on all related issues.

The list would include officers who have been convicted by any criminal court, officers against whom repeated complaints have been made but could not be proceeded against due to lack of evidence, cases involving proven lack of integrity or moral turpitude where an individual has got away due to technical infirmities is prosecution and people who are known to have committed wrongdoing but have got away due to political patronage or shielding by senior officers, sources said.

The exercise would cover all armed forces officers from the junior most to the top. Over the past years a number of controversies have cropped up over promotions as well as the professional and personal conduct of some officers at the senior level.

No sensitive postings for tainted officers Sources said the data prepared by the services would also be shared with the Intelligence Bureau, CBI and other appropriate intelligence or law enforcement agencies. Those on the list may not be get sensitive staff appointments. Their claims for choice posting or out-of-turn welfare measures would be reviewed at the highest level