SC pulls up Centre for not taking action in Kargil scam

"It cannot go on like this," the Supreme Court tersely told the Centre today while rapping it for not taking action against officials allegedly involved in the multi-crore scam in the purchase of defence equipments in 1999 Kargil operations.

"We do not want to be harsh with you in the case. We have been accommodating but it cannot go like this," the bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam told the government.

The court's remarks came when senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, assisting the court as amicus curiae, pointed out that the government has failed to take action against anyone during the last 12 years after the scam was unearthed.

"We are not happy at all (with Centre's action)," the court observed.

Dwivedi submitted that there is lack of political will to take action on the part of the government.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report has noted that there were many lapses in the purchase of defence equipments to the tune of over Rs.2, 000 crore.

The court, after holding a brief hearing in the case, adjourned the matter for November 28.