Chandigarh: A Colonel of the Army Service Corps (ASC), has been sentenced to six years rigorous imprisonment and cashiered after being found guilty of corruption by a Summary General Court Martial (SGCM) conducted at Chandigarh.
Cashiering means being dishonourably dismissed from military service.
The sentence to the officer is subject to confirmation by the higher Army authorities, including the Chief of Army Staff.
Earlier, the colonel had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which observed that his sentence would be subject to the disposal of a petition filed by him in the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT).
The officer, identified as Colonel Vikas Pandey, commanded the 503 ASC Battalion under the 3 Infantry Division in Ladakh. The SGCM found him guilty of all seven charges of fraud and corruption.
The trial, presided over by a Brigadier with three Colonels as members, began on February 16 and concluded late at night on August 16 at the N Area in Chandigarh.
According to officials, Col Pandey had been nominated for the prestigious Higher Command course when “a pseudo-anonymous complaint was made against him about financial irregularities”. After conducting a Court of Inquiry and Summary of Evidence, it was decided to try him by a court-martial with one charge under Section 52 (f) of the Army Act (intent to defraud) and six charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The SGCM opined that while serving as the CO of the ASC Battalion, the colonel, with intent to defraud, opened, operated and closed institutional bank account in the name of “Regimental Fund Account” at YES Bank’s Leh Branch, with account type as “Defence” by signing and using his appointment stamp and Battalion’s round stamp.
It was also alleged that, being a public servant, he “intentionally enriched himself illicitly” during the period of his office as CO of the 503 ASC Battalion between August 10, 2020 and September 20, 2021, by receiving a sum of Rs 63,66,096 in YES Bank, Leh Branch.
The officer was also accused of receiving Rs 4 lakh while serving in Ladakh, while a third charge alleged that he illicitly purchased a flat in Jaipur in the name of his wife and made the full payment of Rs 32,60,000 – “disproportionate to his known sources of income”.
He has also been accused of illicitly purchasing a BMW car in the name of his wife, and making the full payment of Rs 48,48,258 – “disproportionate to his known sources of income”.
Two more charges relating to receiving Rs 21 lakh in cash illegally during his tenure as the commanding officer were also levelled against him, sources said.
The SGCM found him guilty of all these charges.
