Chandigarh, May 21
Senior-most officer involved in the Tehelka scam, Maj-Gen P.S.K. Choudhary was released from military custody yesterday on completion of his stipulated period of sentence. The Army is still to confirm the verdict of the General Court Martial (GCM), which cashiered him from service and sentenced him to one year’s rigorous imprisonment for allegedly demanding and accepting bribes from fictitious arms dealers during a sting operation.
Sources said he had been released “without prejudice to re-arrest” on confirmation of the sentence, if the situation so warrants. If the confirmation authority decides that the aforementioned sentence is too lenient or orders a re-trial, the officer can be taken into custody again.
General Choudhary’s trial had commenced in April last year and concluded on February 12, 2005. During this period, he had been in custody. Additional Central Government counsel, Arvind Moudgil, who also deals with military matters, said that under Section 169(a) of the Army Act, the period an accused remains in custody from the start of the trial till confirmation of the sentence, is to be off-settled against the sentence.
The GCM, presided over by the Director-General, Air Defence Artillery, Lieut-Gen C S Chima, had taken place in Ferozepore. After the conclusion of the trial, General Choudhary was brought to Ambala.
Meanwhile, the GCM trying Brig Iqbal Singh on similar charges in the same case is scheduled to commence at Patiala on May 24. The court had remained adjourned for about a month.
