Army Chief alleges victimisation, accuses ex-COAS V K Singh

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) In an unprecedented step of aserving Army Chief taking on one of his predecessors, GeneralDalbir Singh has alleged that he was "sought to be victimised"by Gen(retd) V K Singh, now an Union Minister, with the solepurpose of denying him promotion as Army Commander. Gen Dalbir Singh made the allegation in an affidavitfiled by him in his personal capacity while responding to apetition moved by Lt Gen (Retd) Ravi Dastane who had alleged"favouritism" during his selection as the Army Commander. "I was sought to be victimised by the then COAS with thesole purpose of denying promotion to the appointment of ArmyCommander. False, baseless and imaginary allegations of lapseswere levelled against me in the show cause notice (of May 19,2012)," Gen Dalbir Singh said. V K Singh is currently theMinister of State for External Affairs. "Despite their being no evidence against me at the Courtof Inquiry, the show cause notice was issued malafidely," hesaid, adding that, "no material whatsoever of attendantcircumstances was provided to me. The show cause noticeissued, beside suffering from vagueness, was premeditated andalso against the principles of natural justice". Dalbir Singh was placed under a discipline and vigilance(DV) ban by the then COAS V K Singh in 2012 for his alleged"failure of command and control" after a Court of Inquiry wasordered into an operation carried out in Jorhat, Assam on thenight of December 20-21, 2011 by the 3 Corps Intelligence andSurveillance Unit. Dalbir Singh, who was the then General OfficerCommanding of the unit, said that the imposition of DV banupon him and issuance of show cause notice by the then COAS"was illegal and premeditated". "It is thus established that I was victimized forextraneous reasons by the then COAS and hence the illegalimposition of DV ban by the then COAS could not be made thebasis by the apellant to challenge my appointment as GOC-in-C,Eastern Command. In fact, it is the answering respondent whois the victim and not the appellant, as is sought to be madeby him," he said. (More) PTI ABA MNL SJK RKS RRT GSNGSN