Army studying tribunal verdict on Kargil war officer: AK Antony

The army is "carefully studying" the Armed Forces Tribunal judgment indicting a senior commander for his role in falsifying Kargil war reports and showing bias against a Brigadier, defence minister AK Antony said here today.

"I had a meeting with the army chief and the army is carefully studying the report," he told reporters here. 

The defence minister was asked what action would be taken
after the Tribunal verdict in the case.

The Tribunal has held that former 15 Corps Commander Lt
Gen Kishan Pal falsified accounts of some of the battles
fought during the Kargil conflict and discredited then 70
Infantry Brigade commander Brigadier Devinder Singh over his
role in the war while writing his annual confidential report.

Crediting the UPA government for setting up the Tribunal,
Antony said, "We took the initiative to have the Tribunal as
we wanted. If there was any complaint from our retired
persons and armed forces personnel, it should not only be
looked into by the services headquarters and the ministry, it
should have a judicial look also."

The Tribunal was launched on August 8 last year and hears disputes and complaints about commission, appointments,
enrolment and service conditions in respect of those covered
by the Three Services Act, as also appeals arising out of
orders, findings or sentences of court martial.

To a question on the arrest of a navy personal for spying
activities, The defence minister said, "I discussed this issue with the navy chief. He is a lower-level navy man. Now the Delhi police is inquiring into that and navy will also conduct an inquiry in their own way."