M A I N   N E W S

I believed Major’s report: Colonel

Jodhpur, May 28
Commanding Officer of Gorkha Battalion Col K.D. Singh today told a military court that he had recommended gallantry award for Major Surinder Singh on the basis of the report submitted by the officer and was unaware that the Siachen Glacier encounters were fake.

Col K.D. Singh, deposing before the court for the second day in the first-ever Army open trial, said: “I believed in good faith what Maj Singh (Surinder) was telling in his report. I could not have even dreamt that the report submitted by him was fake.”

He said he recommended gallantry award for Maj Surinder Singh on the basis of the report of encounter submitted by the officer.

Describing in detail the difficult terrain and strategic locations on the glacier, Col K.D. Singh said it was impossible for a commanding officer of a battalion to personally look after each and every forward post. He had to depend on his company commander and he depended on Maj Surinder Singh, he added.

The court, headed by Brig Philip Campose, is recording summary evidence in the Siachen fake killings case as a follow-up of a court of inquiry which held Col K.D. Singh and Maj R. Lamba responsible for administrative lapses and recommended disciplinary action against Maj Surinder Singh for making exaggerated claims.

Maj Surinder Singh had alleged that the Colonel had asked his juniors to arrange fake killings in Siachen Glacier.

Col K.D. Singh presented before the court the report submitted to him by the Major on September 11, last year, regarding encounters with Pakistani soldiers between August 21 and 24.

The video clips showing destroyed bunker and killed Pakistani soldiers, submitted by Maj Surinder Singh, were also played in the court.

The deposition of Col K.D. Singh will continue tomorrow. Defence sources said the deposition of officers is likely to continue for two weeks.

New Delhi: The Judge Advocate General of the Army, Maj Gen Nilender Kumar, today attempted to put the procedures in the force in the right perspective by saying that justice in the military system was “fair, transparent and just”.

Talking to reporters here to give a briefing on the open trial being held in Jodhpur in the fake killings resorted to by some officers in Siachen Glacier, he said the recording of evidence was only a pre-trial and not a full-fledged trial.

The Judge Advocate General said only after recording of evidence would trial follow through a court martial, if substantial charges were found against the accused.

Maj Gen Kumar said assistance of civilian lawyers was available to those charged throughout the Court of Inquiry and recording of summary of evidence and it was only in court martial proceedings that civilian lawyers could not intervene on behalf of their clients. PTI, TNS