Sukna land scam: Lt Gen Prakash to face 4 charges in GCM

Sukna land scam: Lt Gen Prakash to face 4 charges in GCM

Indicted by a Court of Inquiry (CoI) in Sukna land scam, former Military Secretary (MS) Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash will face four charges in the General Court Martial (GCM) which will begin next month in Leimakhong in Manipur.

Lt General Prakash has been charged with attempt to defraud, unbecoming conduct and abuse of military position while trying to favour his realtor friend Dilip Agarwal for building an educational institute on a piece of land adjacent to the Sukna Military station in West Bengal, sources said in New Delhi.

The GCM would be headed by Director General (DG) Perspective Planning, Lt Gen Phillip Campose and would include other similar ranking officers as well.

Depending on the outcome of court martial, Prakash could be punished with severe reprimand or stripping of ranks and medals or could lose his pension.

Ever since the CoI indicted him Prakash has been attached to the Kolkata-based Eastern army command headquarters.

Along with Prakash, the CoI had also indicted the then 33 Corps commander Lt General P K Rath, his chief of staff Major General Ramesh Halgali and the administrative head of the Sukna military station, Major General P K Sen.

The Army has already punished Rath with severe reprimand, two-year loss of seniority and 15 years' loss of service for the purpose of pension.

The verdict of the GCM is yet to be confirmed by senior authorities and the officer is still attached with the Eastern Command.

Located 20 km from Imphal, the capital city of Manipur, Leimakhong is militant hotbed in North Eastern region and is the headquarters of Indian Army's Mountain Division.