The Army has appointed a new chief for its intelligence setup, axing the current Director General of Military Intelligence (DGMI).
NEW DELHI: The Army has appointed a new chief for its intelligence setup, axing the current Director General of Military Intelligence (DGMI) for alleged misuse of office.
The Army, on Monday evening, appointed Lieutenant General DS Bartwal as the new DGMI as it eased out Lieutenant General Deepak Samanwar from the sensitive post after the Ministry of Defence concluded that he had misused military equipment and premises for a movie produced by his wife, in which his daughter played the lead role.
Samanwar was forced to go on leave in late June after the controversy broke. The issue was also raised in Parliament. Bartwal, presently a Major General and posted with the Infantry Directorate, would take over as the new DGMI after picking his rank as Lt General in early September, sources said.
Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee had ticked off the Army chief about Samanwar indulging his wife with military logistics such as helicopters for shooting the movie.
The controversial movie, named Shaurya, is based on a book of the same name written by Samanwar's wife, Sharaayu Phalke, granddaughter of the legendary Dada Sahab Phalke.
The DGMI's daughter Arati has played the lead role in the movie, which is about a war widow coming to grip with the realities of life. Army chief General JJ Singh's wife too was supposed to act in the movie.
When the controversy broke out, the Ministry of Defence bureaucrats pointed out that the movie did not have the requisite sanctions to shoot in places like the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
Army sources said the appointment of the new DGMI is a clear signal that Saamanwar will have to bid his remaining time in uniform in some inconsequential post till he retires in March 2007.
Saamanwar was the additional director general in charge of media affairs in the Military Intelligence branch for several months, before being appointed as the DGMI. As the DGMI, he was in charge of entire Army intelligence network, one of country's most effective intelligence network, which spans the length and breadth of the nation.
He was also part of all high-level consultations and committees on intelligence.
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