Chandigarh: With the Armed Forces
Tribunal indicting a former officer of fudging accounts of
Kargil battles, sacked Brigadier Surinder Singh today demanded
an independent probe into the Kargil episode and role of some
senior officers, including the then army chief.
"There was enough intelligence available to prevent
Kargil....I want a re-investigation into Kargil episode and
role of some senior officers," former Kargil Brigade Commander
Surinder Singh, who was removed from service after the
conflict and is presently fighting his case in Armed Forces
Tribunal, said here.
He also demanded that the role of the then Army Chief
Gen V P Malik, Lt Gen H M Khurana, the then GOC in C Northern
Command, Lt Gen Krishan Pal, the then GOC 15 corps and Maj Gen
V S Budhwar, the then GOC infantry division during the Kargil
conflict be investigated.
Singh said he was penning down a book which, he
claimed, will tell "all the facts" about Kargil operation.
Singh claimed that he had personally briefed Gen Malik
and the then Director General Military Operations Lt Gen N C
Vij about the enhanced threat perceptions in that area,
including artillery and missile deployments on the other side.
Both the generals were also aware about the withdrawal
of our troops in that area, he added.
There had been reports of infiltrations in the South
of Siachen Glacier as early as January and February 1999 which
had been duly sent up the chain of command, he said adding
that though the early infiltrations were in an area adjoining
his sector, he was not apprised as should have been done.
Sigh said he would demand compensation from the Army.
Major Manish Bhatnagar, who too was dismissed from
service by a court martial on charges of disobedience during
the conflict, had also moved the Armed Forces Tribunal besides
the Delhi High Court.
Colonel Neeraj Nehra, on whose ACR adverse remarks
were put after Kargil conflict, too had moved the Tribunal.
PTI
