Major General Hooda’s promotion on hold

Maj Gen RK Hooda, additional director general of mechanised forces, whose name figured as a beneficiary in the Adarsh housing society scam, received a jolt on Monday when the government decided to put his promotion on hold pending an inquiry by the CBI.

The officer’s name figures in the list of the more than 100 allottees of the 31-floor high-rise in Colaba.

The ministry of defence (MoD) had asked the army, navy and the DGDE (directorate general defence estates) for reports on the security implications of having a high-rise in the vicinity of navy’s western command headquarters.
When asked about Maj Gen Hooda, army chief Gen VK Singh told DNA, “Something will be done about this, it’s being looked into.”

The MoD had ordered a CBI inquiry last week on the recommendation of Gen Singh.

Maj Gen Hooda, according to sources, was approved for the next rank earlier this year, but was waiting to put on his ranks subject to vacancy, when the controversy erupted.

Former judge advocate general (JAG-legal advisor) of the army, retired Maj Gen Nilendra Kumar, told DNA, “In such cases, a DV (discipline and vigilance) ban is placed on the officer and the army adopts a ‘sealed cover’ approach in which the army requests the inquiring agency to expedite the probe, at the conclusion of which the suitability of the officer to be promoted is reassessed, because in certain cases, it may be considered a drop in performance. However, if the officer is exonerated, then he may get his promotion, subject to age being on his side, but if he is approaching superannuation, then he may retire without his next rank.”

Maj Gen Hooda was the general officer commanding (Maharashtra and Goa) during former army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor’s tenure, before being posted to Delhi as the ADG-MF five months ago. Retired Gen Kapoor is also one of the allottees in the building, but has since offered to return his flat.