Commodore ‘action’ under Navy scanner

The Indian Navy is probing the conduct of a commodore after unearthing photographs of him with an unidentified foreign woman, probably during his posting in Russia a few years ago.

The Indian Navy is probing the conduct of a commodore after unearthing photographs of him with an unidentified foreign woman, probably during his posting in Russia a few years ago.

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The inquiry assumes significance, as Commodore Sukhjinder Singh was associated with the acquisition of the multi-billion dollar Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov.

Navy sources said, “We have received some damning evidence against the officer. Preliminary inquiries suggest it’s a case of improper personal conduct. There may be no larger implications.”

But the sources added that the probe, headed by a Vice Admiral, would acertain if Singh’s personal liaisons could have influenced his professional conduct.

The commodore was one of the officers overseeing the aircraft carrier project, beset with huge time and cost overruns, when he was posted in Russia for a few years after the deal was inked in January 2004.

India had contracted the 45,000-tonne Gorshkov for $974 million (Rs 4,870 crore), but its cost has spiralled to $2.33 billion (Rs 11,650 crore). Slated to be delivered in 2008, the carrier is now unlikely to arrive before 2012.