New Delhi: An Army Court of Inquiry has
indicted a Colonel of producing false transportation bills to
the tune of Rs 50 lakh, setting the stage for his Court
Martial.
In what is being termed as a `Transport scam`, Colonel
Sanjay Jethi, former Commandant of the Ordnance Depot in
Mumbai, has been accused of producing and claiming false bills
in hiring civilian transport for sending material and
equipment to various units across the country, Army sources
told agency here.
One of the charges against Jethi is that he was supposed
to hire vehicles for sending tyres to different units in
vehicles having 16-20 tonne capacity but he hired vehicles of
nine tonne category for sending the supplies, they added.
"It was later found that though the vehicles were of nine
tonnes category, bills were falsely claimed for 16-20 tonne
vehicles," the sources said citing the CoI report.
In some cases, it was found that no vehicles were sent
but still bills were produced and claimed by Jethi, they said.
In some cases, one vehicle was shown to have been sent to
different places in different directions from Mumbai on same
day, they added.
After the matter came to light, the CoI headed by a
Brigadier-rank officer was convened against Jethi. After
probing charges against him, the CoI recommended disciplinary
action against Jethi.
Jethi has now approached the Armed Forces Tribunal
challenging the CoI and its recommendations.
Asked if the Army could continue holding the Summary
of Evidence in the case, Army`s Senior Counsel Brigadier
(retd) Anil Shrivastava said, "since there is no stay on
holding the summary of evidence, the Army can proceed with the
required procedures in the case."
PTI
