Chandigarh, July 16
Eight months after a major-general was suspended for allegedly siphoning massive quantities of army canteen liquor and selling it in the open market, the Army has ordered that he be tried by a general court martial (GCM) for his acts of omission and commission.

The accused, Maj-Gen Gur Iqbal Singh, was serving as the General Officer Commanding 6 Mountain Division in Bareilly at the time. The general’s ADC, a captain, also faces a court martial.

In addition, the Army is also believed to be investigating the
role of four brigadiers allegedly involved in the illegal sale of canteen liquor, the cost of which is much below that of liquor available in the civilian market.

Sources reveal that the review assessment of trial (RAT), ordering convening of a GCM, was issued by the General Officer Commanding, Central Command, Lt-Gen O P Nandrajog, five days ago.

General Gur Iqbal, who earned the dubious sobriquet of “booze general”, faces six charges under Section 52 of the Army Act for misappropriating government property and four charges under Section 63 for acts prejudicial to good order and military discipline. His ADC has been booked on five similar charges

The general is currently attached with the Army War College in Mhow near Indore. The trial is expected to take place in Bareilly.

The lid on the scam was blown when the military intelligence, in collaboration with the local police, had intercepted and impounded two trucks ferrying CSD liquor from Bareilly to Sangrur in Punjab in October. Sangrur is the general's home town.

The Army had thereafter removed General Gur Iqbal from command and ordered a court of inquiry (COI) to ascertain facts of the case and fix responsibility. The COI had held him prima facie blameworthy.