Chandigarh, March 18
In yet another controversy embroiling the Judge Advocate General’s Department, the Army’s legal wing, a Brigadier has sued the Maj-Gen heading the department for defamation.
In a suit filed before a local court today, Brig A.K. Srivastava has sought damages amounting to Rs 10 lakh “for the acts of defamation committed by the defendants”.
The Judge Advocate General, Maj-Gen Nilendra Kumar, who heads the legal department at Army Headquarters, two departmental officers and two mediapersons have been named as the defendants.
In his petition, Brigadier Srivastava, who is head of the legal branch at Headquarters Western Command, Chandimandir, has alleged that in September/October 2007, the Maj-Gen, who is also plaintiff’s superior officer, along with the other defendants hatched a conspiracy to tarnish the image and reputation of the plaintiff.
The defendants, according to the petition, spread false news that the plaintiff did not possess a valid law degree, a prerequisite for entry into the Judge Advocate General’s Department.
The plaintiff has contended that he is a senior functionary of the Army discharging judicial as well as quasi-judicial functions in the department. The circulation of the news has definitely tarnished his image and reputation.
One of the departmental officers, the petition states, visited Meerut University at the instance of the Maj-Gen to verify the record pertaining to the LLB degree acquired by the plaintiff. Since, there was no order directing any such inquiry/verification, it appeared that such a visit by the officer was without any sanction and authority and was illegal, the petition added.
Resultantly, the petition contended, the officer, to the best knowledge of the plaintiff, forged an authority letter, purportedly issued by 9 Artillery
Brigade and misrepresented the facts before the university authorities. According to the petition, the officer projected that the plaintiff has expired and certain compensation had to be awarded to the plaintiff’s family and that it would be beneficial if a certificate could be issued stating that the plaintiff had not completed his LLB degree.
