Defence ministry seeks CBI probe against two serving major generals

The CBI has been asked by the defence ministry to probe complaints against two serving Major Generals for allegedly having assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

The defence ministry has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe two serving major generals who are facing allegations of possessing disproportionate assets, government sources said on Thursday.

The CBI has not ordered a preliminary investigation into the matter yet.

The name of one of the two two-star generals had come to light last year amid allegations of corruption in a promotion-related matter – from major general to lieutenant general. He was then posted in Kolkata. The allegations of impropriety led to the defence ministry red-flagging the promotion of certain officers.

Speculation was rife last September about the role of a serving lieutenant general (now retired) in the promotion-related matter but the army scotched the “rumours” about the officer landing in trouble over corruption charges, saying there was nothing against him.

The other officer whose case has been referred to the CBI is posted in army headquarters. It is learnt that defence minister Manohar Parrikar himself looked into the matter before referring it to the CBI.

According to sources, a special promotion board had last year considered 33 major generals for three vacancies in the rank of lieutenant general and a set of names were cleared and sent to the ministry. However, Parrikar examined the matter after a string of complaints surfaced against certain officers.

Quoting sources, the PTI reported on Thursday that one of the two officers whose cases have been referred to the CBI had faced a probe some years ago over allegations of corruption in a project undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation. The report said the CBI did not find enough evidence for criminal prosecution and the case fell in the ambit of disciplinary procedure guidelines.