Siachen oil pilferage scam
Brig, Lt Col among 15 chargesheeted

NEW DELHI, Mar 14: In an embarassment to the Army, five personnel including a Brigadier have been chargesheeted by Jammu and Kashmir Police for allegedly replacing kerosene and diesel in tankers meant for troops in Siachen with water.

The chargesheet, filed before Chief Judicial Magistrate Leh earlier this week, has named Brigadier Sukhbir Singh, the then Deputy Director Supply and Transport, Lt Col D K Chaturvedi, the then Officer-in-Command of 406 Army Supply Corps, Captain Parveen Rawat (406 ASC), Subedars Major Sunder Singh and R K Nigam.

The chargesheet has once again put the Leh-based 14-Corps in an awkward situation as it is facing heat on the issue of alleged pilferage of clothing and special rations meant for troops posted in Siachen. Recently, a Court of Inquiry was initiated against an officer of Major General rank from the same command for alleged sexual harassment.

Others chargesheeted include Terminal Manager of Indian Oil Corporation (Ambala) Sunil Kumar, owner of a petrol pump in Zakhaira (Punjab) Bimal Gulati, alleged conduit Baljeet Singh alias Bittu and eight drivers, sources in the State Home department said.

According to the chargesheet, Army officials allegedly in connivance with the IOC officials were replacing kerosene oil and diesel from the tankers with water, which upon its arrival in Leh, was unloaded in barren mountains.

Taking cognizance of the chargesheet, the court asked all the accused to be present on April 4.

The seven tankers seized by the police on the intervening night of July 16 and 17, 2005, carried 9,000 litres of fuel, and the cost of per litre diesel was Rs 29.75 at that time.

Jawans deployed in Leh, Kargil and Siachen are dependent on IOC for bulk of oil supplies. Supplies of petrol, diesel and kerosene are made in IOC tankers which reach Leh from depots at Ambala, along two routes, one through Himachal Pradesh and the other through the Kashmir valley.

Surprisingly, the probe in the oil pilferage scam again saw no cooperation from the Army authorities despite several summons issued against the Brigadier and Lt Colonel.

The sources said police had enough documentary evidence to suggest the involvement of the accused Army officials besides the confessional statement, recorded before a Magistrate, of some of the drivers.

According to the chargesheet, the terminal manager of the IOC used to send oil tankers for Leh filled with oil. Before dispatching them, the Manager had to seal the tankers but instead he chose to handover the key of the seal to the drivers, who used to unload the kerosene oil and diesel at the petrol pump of Gulati and later filled with water.

Baljit Singh is alleged to have been acting as the conduit between the Army and IOC officials. Driver Dhara Singh has also been declared as a proclaimed offender by the court.

The chargesheet has been filed under 120-b (criminal conspiracy), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant) 411 (receiving stolen property) and 420 (cheating).

The sources said the pilferage of the oil was going on for long, as alleged by the drivers of the fuel tankers.

Army had even approached the Jammu and Kashmir High Court for quashing of the FIR, which was, however, turned down by the court saying police action needs to be done. (PTI)

Hyderabad based IRSC approached to assess reserves
Paddar sapphire mines to get security grid

By Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Mar 14: As the unprecedented market value of Paddar sapphire in the recent auction has generated risk of pilferage of minerals wealth of the State, the Government has decided to set-up fool proof security grid in the areas of mines within next one month.

The Government has also approached Indian Remote Sensing Centre (IRSC), Hyderabad to assess the quantum of reserves of sapphire at the earliest before going in for large scale and scientific mining.

Authoritative sources told the EXCELSIOR that auction of 34 lots of Paddar sapphire which were lying with the JK Minerals Ltd for the past quite long time, has not only generated revenue to the tune of Rs 1.31 crore but also exposed the grave risk of thefts of the minerals in the aftermath of its unprecedented market value.

"The risk of pilferage was not much so far as very few people were aware about the exact value and demand of the Paddar sapphire in the international market but the auction which was conducted after a long period of 20 years, has increased the risk manifold", the sources said, adding "everybody has now come to know that 23 grams of Paddar sapphire can generate Rs 13 lakh or more".

The evil eyes on the high-value and one of the best sapphires of the world were detected even on the second day of the auction when the bidders deliberately not allowed the auction value of one particular lot to cross Rs 4 lakh mark despite the fact that the similar lot was auctioned at Rs 13 lakh on the first day, the sources disclosed and said that this forced the authorities of JK Minerals to withdraw the lot to prevent ill-designs of the bidders.

Keeping in view the threat of pilferage of high-value mineral wealth of the State, the Government has decided to set-up security grid in the Paddar sapphire mines areas within one month, the sources said, adding "within next few days a team of senior officers will be visiting the area to work out the requirement of security apparatus".

When contacted, Minister for Industries Nawang Rigzin Jora confirmed that the risk to the Paddar sapphire which came to fore with the auction of crystals, needed to be checked at the earliest. "The issue of security grid was discussed with the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad yesterday and he has agreed for the same", he disclosed.

"Since the quantum of reserves of the Paddar sapphire is not known to anybody including the JK Minerals Ltd, the Government has approached Indian Remote Sensing Centre (IRSC) at Hyderabad and sought its help to work out the quantity of sapphire reserves in Paddar", he informed.

The Minister said that senior officers of the Industries Department have been directed to be in touch with the IRSC authorities so that the first ever exercise could be conducted at the earliest.

He also disclosed that three of the six companies which had participated in the global tenders, have been shortlisted and they have been asked to make presentations about their financial and technical capability and past experience in the mining at the earliest so that mining of the Paddar sapphire could be done in most scientific manner.

Mr Jora disclosed that another auction of the Paddar sapphire will be held in May.

Mass termination of SRTC staff may start from Monday
*Govt issues final warning as strike continues

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 14: Issuing final warning to the striking J&K State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) workers and employees, the Government today asked them to resume their duty by tomorrow (March 15) or get ready for mass-termination.

Talking to media-persons here this evening, Managing Director of the SRTC, M A Lone denied the charges of tampering of agreement as claimed by SRTC workers union leaders. He said Government was taking sympathetic view till now and even avoided to strictly enforce ESMO but some leaders of the union were using the work force for their vested interests.

He claimed that only one line was added with the pen in the signed agreement that too in presence of union president Shakeel Ahmed Kuchey and EJAC chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani and both signed the document. Thereafter, Secretary Transport and other Government functionaries signed it. The things were settled after dialogue on March 10 and all the demands related to salary and 42 COLA slabs were accepted. Now their strike was unjustified and illogical. What prompted them to spoil the situation and resume strike again is something amazing. It seems that some vested interests were misguiding the workers, the MD maintained.

Mr Wani said a final warning is now being issued and Government would strictly impose ESMO from tomorrow onwards if striking employees do not resume their duty. He said Government was facing huge losses and general public was suffering. The Corporation has been crumbling under the liability of Rs 45 cr of J&K Bank loan taken for salaries. If the workers do not resume duty by tomorrow, the Government may go in for mass-termination of the SRTC employees and workers. Therefore, a final notice is being served to them through media to resume work by March 15, 2008, MD maintained.

Meanwhile, workers and employees of the SRTC continued their protest dharna at Tawi bridge here today. They were demanding release of their five months salary. The Corporation fleet remained off the road. The workers earlier held demonstration at General Manager’s office here and were forced out by the securitymen. Their protest dharna continued near Bikram Chowk throughout the day. The strike also continued in Srinagar where employees staged protest demonstration and dharna at SRTC yards and also at various district headquarters.

Reacting to MD’s announcement, Shakeel Ahmed Kuchey said Transport Minister or the Managing Director can act as dictators but the Workers’ union will take a final decision in this regard by democratic means. He said working body of the Union in Jammu, Ladakh and Srinagar is holding emergency meeting tomorrow and after taking consent from all the members, the leadership of all the units will take unanimous and a final decision in this regard, Mr Kuchey added.

Purchases in Northern Command
CAG indicts Army chief

NEW DELHI, Mar 14: The CAG has indicted the then Northern Command chief for procuring stores worth crores of rupees during 2005-06 and 2006-07 by "wrongly exercising financial powers" delegated to him for meeting special operational requirements.

Incidentally, the post of the head of the prestigious Udhampur-based Northern Command during most of the period cited by the CAG was held by present Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor.

In his report on Defence Services for the year ended March 2007, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India said the Northern Command General Officer-in-Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) procured items worth Rs 6.89 crore during 2005-06 and 2006-07.

He said these stores were purchased under delegated special financial powers, which were not related to the urgent requirements of counter-insurgency operations, internal security duties, defence of Siachen glacier and other immediate operational requirements.

Most of the items procured were only to facilitate day-to-day routine duties of the Army, the CAG added.

The report said the release and usage pattern of these equipment further underscore the fact that bulk of the stores were issued to the units which were not directly and actively engaged in operations of the kind.

The Northern Command headquarters stated in July 2007 that these items were procured to save time and manpower, to maintain hygienic condition of food, and for safety and security of the troops deployed in counter-insurgency operations, it added.

"The reply is not tenable as the same cannot be related to operational requirements directly," the CAG said.

Thus, the sanction accorded by the GOC-in-C for procurement of non-standard items under special financial powers were irregular and tantamount to misuse of delegated powers, he added.

The IFAs concerned also had failed to give proper financial advice and allowed such expenditure on the pretext of immediate special operational requirements, the CAG said.

Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor was the Northern Command GOC-in-C from September 5, 2005 to December 31, 2006. He became the Vice Chief on January 1, 2007 and later took over as the Army Chief on September 30, 2007.

The Defence Ministry had delegated similar special financial Powers to the GOC-in-Cs of various commands in April 2002.

The purpose of special delegation was to facilitate the Procurement of equipment/spares/items to supplement the availability of these through central sources to obviate non-availability becoming a constraint particularly in counter-insurgency, internal security duties, defence of Siachen glacier and other immediate operational requirements, the CAG said. (UNI)

Combined Competitive Service exam
SC upholds PSC selections

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 14: Supreme Court has upheld the selection made by the Public Service Commission (PSC) for 132 posts of Jammu and Kashmir Combined Competitive Service in 2007 and dismissed the Special Leave Petitions (SLPs).

According to the case, the Public Service Commission initiated selection process for 132 posts of J&K Combined Competitive Service in 2005 and as many as 17116 applications had been received and 15193 candidates appeared in preliminary examination in July 3, 2005.

After preliminary examination, 1717 candidates had been admitted for main examination but the main examination was put on hold by the State High Court while disposing of a writ petition. Subsequently in LPA, the Division Bench of the High Court allowed the Commission to proceed.

The main examination was held from March 1, 2006 to March 28, 2006. As many as 1531 candidates appeared in the examination and result was declared.

However, the High Court while disposing of a batch of writ petitions permitted another 86 candidates to appear the special main examination, in which 64 candidates appeared and the result of special main examination was declared on January 31, 2007. Seven candidates were permitted to appear in the interview.

The interview of 407 candidates was held by the Commission, but under SLPs titled Pankaj Sharma Vs State, Amit Abrol Vs State, Sudhir Jamwal Vs State, the Supreme Court ordered that the proceedings may continue but no actual appointments will be made.

The Commission after completing the selection process sent the list of 132 candidates to the Government on August 9, 2007.

The Supreme Court after protected arguments dismissed special leave petitions consequently the selection made by the Public Service Commission have been upheld and declared as legally valid.

The case was pleaded by the Commission in Supreme Court through senior advocates D C Raina, G M Kawoosa and Assistant Council F A Natnoo.

3 officers transferred

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 14: The Government today ordered transfer and postings of three officers.

A K Gandotra, Joint Director, Rural Development, Jammu has been transferred and posted in SKUAST Jammu as Joint Director on deputation basis in place of Ravi Kumar.

Ravi Kumar, Joint Director, on his repatriation from SKUAST Jammu, has been posted in SUIDA.

Harjeet Singh Arora, Incharge Joint Director, on deputation to SUIDA, has been recalled and posted as Incharge Joint Director in Rural Development, Jammu vice Mr Gandotra.

The Government has also accorded sanction to placement of five IAS officers of 1997 and 1998 batch in junior administrative grade with effect from November 21, 2007.

They are Shiv Dev Singh Jamwal, Farooq Ahmed, Vinod Koul, Gurdev Raj and Gazzanfar Hussain.

The Government has also promoted three Senior Stenographers of J&K Secretariat (Subordinate) Service as Private Secretaries.

They are Amreet Singh, Mohd Shafi Dar and Ravi Mohan Khajuria.

Haj pilgrims to get holy water

NEW DELHI, Mar 14: Haj pilgrims this time would be able to get "zam zam" (holy water from Mecca) with Saudi Arabia agreeing for a one-time waiver against bulk export of the water, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that his Saudi counterpart who had recently visited India had agreed to dispense with the rule and the water will be dispatched to all registered Haj pilgrims.

He was responding to an issue raised by Samajwadi Party member Ramjilal Suman who complained about the inconvenience caused to Haj pilgrims this time due to delayed flights of Air India and chaos and confusion at airport.

Suman even wanted that the Haj committee should be given statutory status and its Central office should be shifted from Mumbai to Delhi.

Mukherjee admitted that there was "certain mismatch" in the arrangements this time. (PTI)

IT experts involved to extract data
Hi-tech LeT ultra held with laptop

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Mar 14: In a major success which could go a long way in busting several terror networks in militancy infested Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts, police today apprehended a hi-tech militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in Bhadarwah tehsil and seized a lap top and pen drive from his possession containing very useful information about the militants.

Immediately after the arrest of militant, police have detained his two more associates, who too were working for Lashkar outfit.

The militant, identified as Shabir Ahmed alias Pappu son of Ghulam Hussain Mir, a resident of village Sarba, Bhadarwah in Doda district, was picked up by police in a pre-dawn raid conducted at his house. A laptop and pen drive besides some important documents were recovered from his possession.

IGP Jammu zone K Rajendra told the Excelsior that laptop in possession of Shabir Ahmed originally belonged to LeT ‘divisional commander’ Abu Umar, who was gunned by police and security forces last year.

Delhi Police had also helped in elimination of Abu Umar, who was involved in the killing of dare-devil police DySP Shelly Singh in an operation in Doda district.

"We knew that Abu Umar had a lap top. We had been on the look out for it as it could help us extract strategy and plans of LeT outfit. Finally, the person who was keeping this laptop with him was pin pointed and during a pre-dawn raid he was apprehended. The laptop was seized from his possession", Mr Rajendra said.

He added that after preliminary questioning of Shabir Ahmed, police have also picked up his two more associates for questioning. Shabir’s brother was taken into custody by the police initially but later he was released as he turned out to be innocent and unaware of Shabir’s links with militants. Shabir was running a hardware shop as a cover up to his militant activities.

"We expect data for various purposes from the laptop for which the process has begun", the IGP Jammu said.

Official sources said a Doda police team has reached Jammu along with the laptop and has taken assistance of some IT experts to get entire data fed in the laptop and the pen drive.

Sources said police was very confident of busting some terror modules both over-ground as well as underground after extracting data from Lashkar militant’s laptop.

The laptop was reported to be carrying important strategy related information of the outfit besides identity of outfit’s militants, their Cell numbers, hide-outs, photographs and their harbourers.

"This is the information for which we always strive for", police sources said describing the seizure of Abu Umar’s laptop and pen drive as "major recoveries"—more important than the seizure of AKs and RDX.

Preliminary questioning of Shabir Ahmed has revealed after the killing of Abu Umar, the militants had passed on his laptop to Abu Kasha, who had taken over LeT’s command after Umar’s killing. The laptop had finally reached Shabir Ahmed.

Sources said Shabir Ahmed is likely to be sent to Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) at a later date after his questioning is completed by Doda police.

They, however, admitted that Lashkar militants might try to shift their hide-outs and dumps of arms, ration and other important items overnight as they too would have become aware of the laptop’s seizure.

PM rules out snap polls

VARANASI, Mar 14: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight ruled out snap Lok Sabha elections before schedule early next year.

"At least, there will be no elections this year", Singh told reporters here.

Asked if the Congress-led UPA at the Centre was preparing to hold elections ahead of schedule, the Prime Minister said "elections will be held as per schedule."

To a question if this year’s budgetary proposal for farm-loan waiver was made keeping in mind the polls, Singh said, it was not a populist decision which was taken keeping in mind the plight of poor peasants.

Asked about Mayawati Government’s favouring creation of smaller States to be carved out of Uttar Pradesh, the Prime Minister said, the Centre would consider if a proposal to this effect comes from the State Government.

Replying to a question, Singh said the responsibility to implement Central schemes in States was of Government’s there and it was not proper to blame the Centre for their improper implementation.

To a query on the implementation of various Central development schemes in UP, he said "the situation is not satisfactory". (PTI)

Advani says he was for action against Kandahar hijackers

NEW DELHI, Mar 14: BJP’s Prime Ministerial nominee L K Advani today indicated that he was for action against the Kandahar hijackers but the NDA Cabinet decided to release three terrorists in return for the safety of the 160-odd Indian Airlines passengers held hostage in December 1999.

Replying to a question by the then Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah at the ‘India Today’ conclave here, Mr Advani said his views about the hijack incidents were "broadly known" and as the Home Minister he had expressed his opinion before the Cabinet.

"The Government felt that the lives of the passengers should be saved and I was very much part of it. I can’t define anything but this is the background," Mr Advani remarked.

Dr Abdullah, seeking clarification said Mr Advani was known as the ‘hard face’ of the BJP and the Government. "Could the Government have sacrificed the lives of the passengers. What was the strategy of the Government in releasing three terrorist suspects (including Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Mohammad Azhar)?" he asked.

The last time Mr Advani made his observations at Pune a few years ago during his ‘Sankalp Yatra’, he had created a stir within the BJP with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee expressing his annoyance about Mr Advani’s distancing himself from the "unanimous decision".

Giving the example of the failed Agra talks, Mr Advani said if the NDA Government was interested in compromising on terrorism, talks in the Indo-Pakistan summit at Agra would never have failed that too when Pakistan President Gen Musharraf was invited by the Government.

He said it was the decision of the entire Cabinet that it could not accept Pakistan’s perception that cross border terrorism was liberation struggle. But when Pakistan held him personally as the reason behind the failure of the summit, Mr Advani said he did not mind it at all.

However, things could be normalised only after Pakistan gave up its rigid stance and denounced all forms of terror openly and vowed not to allow its territory for terrorist activities in 2004. (UNI)

Every Indian can settle anywhere in country: SC

NEW DELHI, Mar 14: In an apparent rebuff to Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on the issue of North Indians, the Supreme Court today asserted that every Indian has the right to settle anywhere in the country.

"India is not an association or confederation of States, it is a Union of States and there is only one nationality that is Indian. Hence every Indian has right to go anywhere in India, to settle anywhere, and work and do business of his choice in any part of India peacefully," a bench of Justices H K Sema and Markandey Katju remarked.

The apex court deplored the growing tendency of some sections in indulging in violence on issues that they differed on.

"These days unfortunately some people seems to be perpetually on the fuse, and are willing to protest, often violently, about anything under the sun on the ground that a book or painting or film has hurt the sentiments of their community," Justice Katju, writing the judgement, observed.

The apex court said such tendency leading to Balkanisation of the country should be curbed with an iron hand.

"We are one nation and must respect each other and should have tolerance," the bench said.

Quoting Tamil poet Subramaniam Bharti, the apex court said, "this Bharat Mata has....Crores of faces! But her body is one. She speaks 18 languages! But her thought is one."

The apex court made the stinging observations while upholding the Gujarat Government’s decision to ban sale of meat for nine days during a Jain festival. (PTI)

MiG fighters delivery in May

MOSCOW, Mar 14: Russia will start in May the delivery of MiG 29-K fighters to the Indian Navy for deployment on Gorshkov aircraft carrier after its induction, Naval chief Admiral Suresh Mehta said here today.

A team of Indian Naval pilots will be arriving in Russia for a five-month training programme, Mehta said after visiting the MiG plant, which is assembling the fighters for the deployment on Gorshkov after its induction as INS Vikramaditya in 2012.

Mehta, who arrived here on a six-day visit yesterday, is also expected to discuss the vital issues of cooperation with his Russian counterpart Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky and fly the MiG-29K fighter.

The issues of seagoing trials of Admiral Gorshkov by the Russian Navy prior to its delivery are also expected to be discussed by Admiral Mehta with his Russian counterpart.

The Russian shipyard has promised to deliver the 44-thousand tonne vessel for the 18-month sea trials in 2010 provided more funds are allocated to cover cost escalation.

Admiral Mehta is scheduled to visit Severodvinsk-based Sevmash shipyard in Arctic Russia for the inspection of requirements of Gorshkov upgradation, amid indications of New Delhi’s readiness to revise the cost of the deal.

Before leaving for home on March 19, Admiral Mehta will also discuss the issues of other Naval projects with the officials of several Naval design bureaus in St Petersburg. (PTI)

Differences in PPP on PM's choice

ISLAMABAD, Mar 14: The last remaining graft case against PPP chairman Asif Ali Zardari was quashed today removing a final hurdle to him standing as Pakistan’s Prime Minister, as the party continued to be dogged by differences over choosing a nominee to head the new coalition Government.

A Pakistani anti-corruption court dropped the last of seven graft cases giving a big reprieve to Zardari, who has emerged as a frontrunner to lead the PPP-PML(N) Government elbowing past PPP vice-chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim. He has already been cleared in six other cases by anti-corruption courts in Rawalpindi earlier this month in line with a Supreme Court order last month.

In the case registered in 2004, Zardari, 51, was accused of importing a BMW car while allegedly passing himself off as a student in order to evade paying duties.

Acquitting Zardari, Rawalpindi Judge Sagheer Quadri said there was no proof that he had imported the car.

The differences within the Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) over finalising a Prime Ministerial nominee showed no signs of easing with the once frontrunner and Benazir Bhutto loyalist Fahim insisting he is still a "very strong" contender.

Amin, who met Zardari for the second time last night in as many days, also said he was not interested in becoming President or the Speaker of the new National Assembly.

However, in an attempt not to take Zardari head on, Fahim said he would be the first person to support the PPP chairman if he expressed a desire to become Prime Minister. PPP is expected to name its candidate on March 17, when the first session of the new National Assembly is due to start.

Backroom jostling over sharing of power meanwhile continued with former premier Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N demanding strategic ministries like Defence.

"The name of the Prime Minister will come, there is no rush," Fahim said, dismissing reports that he planned to form his own "forward block" within PPP.(PTI)