Army asked to take Govt`s nod before setting up new formation

Defence Ministry asked Army to take Government`s permission before setting up any formation in backdrop of controversy over secret snooping unit TSD set up during Army Chief Gen VK Singh`s tenure.

New Delhi: The Defence Ministry has asked the Army to take Government`s permission before setting up any new formation in the future against the backdrop of the controversy over secret snooping unit TSD set up during former Army Chief Gen VK Singh`s tenure.

In reply to a communication sent by the Army in connection with the Technical Services Division, the Defence Ministry has told the Service to take its permission for setting up any new formation in future, sources said here. The Army Headquarters denied having any knowledge about any such communication in this regard from the Defence Ministry. The Army is understood to have sent a communication to the Defence Ministry in connection with its decision to disband the TSD, which was allegedly involved in operations to destabilise the Jammu and Kashmir government. The TSD, a Military Intelligence unit, was set up by former army chief in May 2010. Soon after Gen Bikram Singh took over as Army Chief in May last year, a Board of Officers was formed to look into the activities of the controversial unit. The inquiry report on the secret unit had recommended a CBI probe into "unauthorised" covert operations being conducted by the unit, first reported by a daily in September this year. The report was submitted to the government in March this year.