M A I N   N E W S

Court of inquiry into diversion of Army ammo funds
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 21
The Army has instituted a court of inquiry (CoI) into the alleged diversion of funds meant to construct safety aids and allied facilities at an ammunition depot in Hisar to construct a swimming pool adjacent to a major general’s house.

The General Officer Commanding, 10 Corps, Lieut-Gen N.S. Brar, has been detailed as the inquiry’s Presiding Officer, with two other major generals, including the GOC of an infantry division based in Rajasthan, as members, it is learnt.

Sources said that the inquiry was instituted this month on the directions of the General Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Command, Lieut Gen P.K. Singh, after preliminary investigations into the matter were conducted by the Headquarters, 10 Corps.

According to an audit note, the construction of the swimming pool involved “misappropriation” of funds of over Rs 23 lakh. Based on the recommendations of boards of officers (BOO), an armoured division had sanctioned three works related to the construction of static water tanks, augmentation of water supply, erecting boundary wall and other facilities at the depot in 2003. It was later revealed that a swimming pool was constructed instead.

The audit note stated: “In the garb of providing static water tanks and allied services for fire-fighting, a swimming pool was constructed which resulted in the misuse of delegated powers of the sanctioning authority.”

According to sources, the pool is just about 200 meters away from the Flag Staff House and about 4 km away from the ammunition depot where the original fire- fighting pool was supposed to have been built.