Maj Gen punished for liquor scam

A military court has cashiered a major general and sentenced him to three years’ rigorous imprisonment for selling highly-subsidised army liquor in the open market and misappropriating public funds.

The officer will not be entitled to any service benefits like pension and gratuity after retirement.

Major-general G.I. Singh, a gunner, was commanding the Bareilly-based 6 Mountain Division, when two truckloads of liquor — being illegally transported to his hometown, Mukerian, in Punjab — were intercepted near Dehradun in a joint operation by the military intelligence and excise authorities.

The Lucknow-based Central Command had initiated a court of inquiry against the disgraced general at Mhow to probe allegations of misappropriation of funds and illicit liquor sale. “Major General Singh has been stripped of his rank after being found guilty by a general court martial (GCM). His activities came to light after the liquor case was exposed and he was subsequently found misappropriating funds,” said a source in Army headquarters.

The sentence will have to be confirmed by Central Army commander Lieutenant General O.P. Nandrajog. The court martial was conducted by judge-advocate Brigadier Ashok Daskar, with Lieutenant General Satyavir Yadav, Commandant, Infantry School, Mhow, as the presiding officer.

The trial did not stretch for months as it usually does and was wrapped up in less than 10 days as General Singh pleaded guilty to the charges —  quite unusual for an accused. The army might also initiate disciplinary action against four brigade commanders “for facilitating misappropriation of funds.”