Jodhpur, May 27
Deposing before a military court in the first open trial, Colonel K.D. Singh, Commanding Officer of the battalion, allegedly involved in Siachen fake killings, today denied the charge saying that during the deployment of his regiment on higher reaches of Himalaya 45 Pakistani soldiers were killed in ‘real’ encounters.Commanding Officer of Gorkha Battalion Colonel Singh, in his deposition before the court here headed by Brig. Phillip Kampose, pointed out several strategic locations captured on video shots to assert that killing of enemy soldiers were “indeed real”.
He said there had been regular exchange of fire whenever Pakistanis tried to intrude into Indian
territory in Siachen glacier region where Indian positions were at higher reaches.
“My
battalion did an excellent job in the inhospitable terrain in defending border and it was wrong to charge that we ‘faked’ encounter killings”.
Colonel Singh told the court that there were six video cameras with the troops at the glacier. Two of the cameras belonged to Army headquarters, two others belonged to the battalion and
remaining two were of Army personnel.
Denying that he ordered fake killings on video, he said 45 Pakistani soldiers were killed by his battalion during its deployment in the region.
It was for the first time that proceedings in the army court were open to media. However, mediapersons were not allowed to take written notes of the proceedings.
Maj Ashok Singh Yadav was present in the court as an independent witness.
Maj Surendra Singh, who charged that Colonel Singh had ordered videography of fake killings was also present in the court.
Recording of statement of Colonel Singh that remained inconclusive today will continue tomorrow.
Summery evidence is being recorded by the military court as a follow up of the court of inquiry that ordered disciplinary action against Major Surendra Singh and administrative action against Colonel Singh and Major S. Lamba.
Colonel Singh will be giving his statement regarding charge of misusing his identity card and purchasing a mobile phone set from unit fund.
It may take two weeks for completion of summery evidence being taken by the military court, defence sources said.
After the summery evidence court martial proceedings would begin against the Army officers.
Colonel Singh would present his case before the recording officer for at least another two days after which Major Singh would be allowed to cross-examine him.
In all, 25 witnesses would be examined by the court over the coming days.
The proceedings were shifted from Jammu and Kashmir to Jodhpur after Major Singh moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court requesting that the trial be conducted at a neutral venue.
— PTI, UNI
