 "Dalbir Suhag, Siachen, Soldiers, Avalanche")
In a development that reignited the tiff between Retired General VK Singh and Dalbir Singh, the Chief of Army Staff, the latter has accused Singh of trying to halt his promotion ‘with mysterious design, malafide intent and to arbitrarily punish’ him for ‘extraneous reasons’, according to a report in The Indian Express.
General Dalbir Singh, in an affidavit submitted in the apex court, said that he was being victimized by the former chief in order to deny him a promotion to be appointed as Army Commander.
The report, quoting the affidavit, adds, “False, baseless and imaginary allegations of lapses were levelled against me in the show cause notice” of May 19, 2012 and consequent imposition of an “illegal” discipline and vigilance (DV) ban.” The statement was in response to a plea filed by retired Lt General Ravi Dastane, alleging favouritism in Dalbir Singh’s selection as Army Commander.
The controversy brings back the row created over Gen Dalbir Singh’s elevation and VK Singh’s stance on it.
What had happened?
The controversy started three years ago when VK Singh had ordered an inquiry into a ‘raid’ incident that involved Gen Dalbir Singh. It was alleged that Singh there was a ‘failure of command and control’ on the part of Dalbir Singh in an operation carried out in Jorhat, Assam in December 2011 by 3 Corps Intelligence and Surveillance Unit.
Eventually, V Singh placed a discipline and vigilance (DV) ban on him. It is this ban that Gen Dalbir Singh is terming illegal and said to be having malafide intent.
When was the ban lifted?
General Bikram Singh, who succeeded VK Singh, had then lifted the ban and made Dalbir Singh the GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, with effect from June 15, 2012. This was days after VK Singh had retired in May 2012.
The challenge
It is this upliftment of ban and the delay in promotion that has been challenged by a retired army officer. Lt Gen (Retd) Ravi Dastane filed a plea in the Supreme Court, alleging favouritism in Singh’s elevation, which made him an imminent successor to be Army Chief.
Dalbir Singh’s version
“The passing of directions for initiating administrative action against me after about one month of having already finalised the Court of Inquiry smacks of a motivated, biased, arbitrary and malicious intent to punish me which the then COAS executed apparently as planned by him.” He added that it is now “revealed clearly that the imposition of DV ban and issue of show cause notice to me by the then COAS was illegal and premeditated”.
“Despite their being no evidence against me at the Court of Inquiry, the show cause notice was issued malafidely. no material whatsoever of attendant circumstances was provided to me. The show cause notice issued, beside suffering from vagueness, was premeditated and also against the principles of natural justice,” The Indian Express reported, citing the affidavit.
