New Delhi: A lieutenant general will face a court martial Nov 26 for alleged irregularities in procuring ration for the troops in 2005, a senior official said here Friday. Lieutenant general is the second highest rank in the Indian Army, and this is the first time that such a senior officer is facing a court martial.

A court of inquiry constituted in 2005 against Lt. Gen. S.K. Sahni, the then director general of Army Service Corps and Transport, has found enough evidence against him to prosecute him for alleged irregularities in the procurement of frozen meat for troops based in the northern sector.

“A court of inquiry in Jalandhar (Punjab) has found that there is enough evidence of omission and commission by the lieutenant general in the operation of the contract for the dry ration for the troops,” the senior army official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

A year after an inquiry was constituted against Sahni, he retired from the army. He then approached a civilian court against the court of inquiry. The court stayed the proceedings and sought all the evidences against Sahni following which it gave a go ahead to the inquiry proceedings.

The court of inquiry has ordered the court martial of the lieutenant general, the second highest rank in the Indian Army's hierarchy, preceded only by the army chief.

“The officer will be court martialled Nov 26,” the official said.

 

Source : IANS