Indian Army chief in corruption scam

Описание: In what could be a cause of embarrassment for the incumbent Army chief, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has indicted the Chief of Army Staff General VK Singh for alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 72 lakh in 2007-08.

The CAG's audit report finds financial irregularities during Gen Singh's tenure as 2 Corps Commander. It says that the money sanctioned for repairing buildings was allegedly channelised to construct a new club house.

The Army Headquarters is yet to react to the CAG report but the move would be an embarrassment for the chief who had made clean system and robust health as a plank for his tenure.

The Army chief's indictment comes days after a retired senior Army officer was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in a ration scam after the CAG reported that soldiers in Siachen were served food unfit for consumption.

Retd Lt Gen SK Sahni faces a court martial for his alleged role in irregularities in procuring meat and dry rations for troops in Siachen and other high altitude areas.

The CAG report, which was tabled in the Parliament on August 3, says soldiers were supplied wheat, rice, pulses and edible oil 28 months past their expiry date. The auditor had also found a serious lack of competition in filing of tenders for the purchase of ration. It even pointed out that a single vendor bagged contracts for more than 36 per cent of the purchases.