NEW DELHI, July 4:
Lt Gen Jatinder Singh, Commandant of the NDA at Pune, has been shunted out to ensure a free and fair investigation into the recruitment scam in the training institute where Rs 3-4 lakh was allegedly taken as bribe from each candidate for jobs including that of cooks and gardeners.
The decision to transfer Lt Gen Singh from NDA taken by Defence Minister A K Antony was announced today in the backdrop of six employees of the academy including the Staff Officer of the Commandant being arrested by CBI for allegedly taking bribes.
“This shifting is with a view to ensure a free and fair investigation in the alleged bribery racket in the recruitment of Group ‘C’ posts in the NDA, Khadakwasla, Pune,” Defence Ministry spokesperson N Aao said here.
CBI had arrested Staff Officer Colonel Kulbir Singh along with five others for allegedly receiving bribe from candidates during a recruitment drive at NDA last month.
CBI has alleged that Col Singh in conspiracy with the other accused had obtained illegal gratification of Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh from each candidate to give them appointment for subordinate staff like cooks, gardeners, lab attendants, library attendants and cadet orderlies.
The accused persons had allegedly taken signatures of those candidates, who had agreed to pay bribe, on blank sheets and later filled them with correct answers, it said.
The five civilians who worked as links between the candidates and the army officer include Balkrishna Charanlal Kanojia who runs a laundry at NDA and also owns two restaurants, Vishnu Prasad Sharma, Dattatrey Eknath Shitkal, Manoj Maruti Shiktkal and Ramesh Dilip Gaikwad.
The in-charge of tri-services training academies including NDA—Integrated Defence Staff Chief Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha—had also met the Defence Minister over the issue.
Establishment Officer of NDA Suhas Shankar Waghmare was one of the six arrested by CBI last week over allegations that he had taken money from over 15 candidates. (PTI)
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