Title: Regarding reported weeding out of important files in the Army Headquarters.
(MANJERI): Sir, the hon. Defence Minister is here and I am very happy to raise this very important and sensitive issue which appeared in the Asian Age today, giving the very heading ‘Army shreds corruption files’. The matter is that there was a security breach in the Army Headquarters. The military officials, presumably under the instructions from the Defence Ministry, have made the security breach by opening the office at 10.30 a.m. on a holiday and have taken some very important and serious files from the almirah.
These have been shredded into pieces, put in the gunny bags and taken away.
This, according to the newspaper report, a clear breach of security. I may be permitted to read one portion of it. It says:
“The material was put in gunny bags and sought to be disposed. Some files and documents were also taken by the two officers.”
Again, it is mentioned, according to an official, there were 90 files and most of them were pertaining to financial irregularities worth crores of rupees. I do not want to mention the names of the military officers. The hon. Defence Minister knows everybody but I would like to say that such allegations have appeared in the newspapers about our Army. Our Army is very fine and there is no complaint about our Army, but some of the officers are involved in such irregularities. There is also a belief that this is being done presumably under the instructions from the Defence Ministry. I hope the hon. Defence Minister will clarify the position for the benefit of the House (Interruptions) Sir, he is ready to answer.
सभापति महोदय : अब आप स्थान ग्रहण कीजिए।
(श्री जार्ज फर्नान्डीज़) : मैं यहीं खुलासा कर सकता हूं।( व्यवधान)
13.13 hrs.
(At this stage Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal and some
other hon. Members left the House)
श्री जार्ज फर्नान्डीज़ : यह मामला इसके पहले भी हमारे सामने आया था और इसके पहले ही कोर्ट ऑफ इन्क्वायरी एपाइण्ट की गई है और वह जांच कर रही है। जब भी उसकी फाइंडिंग्स आ जाएंगी, उन पर पूरी कार्रवाई की जायेगी।