J&K milk scam: Army orders court of inquiry against 3 army officers

The Indian Army has ordered a court of inquiry (CoI) against three of its officers, including a brigadier, in connection with the milk scam in military farms in Jammu and Kashmir.

Following complaints against three army officers --deputy director general military farms, New Delhi, Brigadier PK Tickoo, director military farm Colonel P Bali, director military farms, Western Command, S Kashyap -- a court of inquiry has been ordered, army sources told PTI.

The CoI has been ordered by Northern Command Chief Lt Gen BS Jaswal after internal investigation into the multi-crore financial irregularities in supply and purchase of milk by three military farms in Kargil, Karu (Leh) and Satwari (Jammu), they said.

The Northern Command has fixed next week for CoI proceeding, they said.

The three army officers have been asked to be present before the CoI, headed by Chief of Staff (COS), 16 Corps, Major Gen S Vardhan, at Nagrota based corps headquarters.

According to the complaints received, out of the requirement of 7,800 liters of fresh milk supplied daily from a military farm to army units, only 4,000 liters of fresh milk was purchased daily and rest was being prepared by milk powder and supplied in the name of fresh milk to units, they said.