Indian Army’s corruption blues

The saga of corruption in the Indian Army seems unending much like the Indian TV soaps. With the involvement of some senior army officers in bribery and arms-purchase scandals, this belief is getting strengthened that corruption is deeply embedded in the everyday functioning of Indian Army. Nine months after an Indian Army major general was cashiered for corruption, the Indian Army has ordered a general court martial of two brigadiers on charges of fraud for diverting public funds with malafide intentions of personal gains. According to the media report, the two officers, Brigadiers G Illangovan and DS Grewal, during their postings in Uttarakhand, are said to have misappropriated government funds allotted from their division headquarters. Depending on the extent of crime the court establishes (which began the trial in Jabalpur on 25 June 2007) the two could be stripped of rank and denied all retirement benefits. They may also face up to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment:
The Defence Minister AX Antony has presented in parliament a long list of senior officers facing corruption charges which shows that action had been taken against 39 corrupt officers of the Indian Army. Last September, Major General Singh was also stripped of his rank and sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment for selling subsidized army liquor and misappropriating funds.

An alarming rise in the number of Indian military officers charged with corruption, senior ranks quitting due to frustrating service conditions and instances in which disgruntled soldiers have shot dead their seniors has started boggling the minds of India’s policy makers. For the past few decades, the Indian Army has experienced high-profile scandals, ranging from the infamous field-artillery deal with the Swedish arms company Bofors (for which former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had been accused) to the case for which another former prime minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, was convicted in 2000. This is a sufficient proof of the fact that the Indian society as a whole is a moral wasteland, From everyday experience, Indians know that acquiring a job, a place in medical or engineering school, or even a telephone, gas or electricity connection frequently entails a bribe to someone who is controlling the affairs in that setup.

Amongst the foremost corrupt institutions within India, its armed forces rank a prominent position. The Indian army personnel are known to receive “commission” from politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen. When their cases are forwarded to court of inquiry, they usually manage to slip away unpunished. The corruption report published in the Times of India speaks volumes for the state of indiscipline and corruption in the Indian Armed forces. The crime rate within the Armed Forces is comparatively high in areas where the Indian army is deployed in order to suppress insurgencies and secessionist movements like Kashmir, Nagaland, Mezoram and Assam. Incidents of suicide, self-immolation, opening fire on commanding officers and colleagues, desertions etc are frequent. The crimes are not only committed by jawans, but also the senior officers are found involved in minting money through unfair means. So much so a Brigadier of Indian army has recently been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for his involvement in running fake currency notes business.
The Indian Army’s Central Command has initiated a court of inquiry against Major General G I Singh, General Officer Commanding of the 6th Mountain Division, to probe into the case of misappropriation of money and sale of illicit liquor. According to reports, four truckloads of army liquor, which were to be sold off illegally at Singh’s behest, were seized from Dehradun. The trucks were heading for Sangrur in Punjab (the hometown of the accused). The consignment was ostensibly sent to his hometown for sale. The reports have unfolded some more scandals in the Held Kashmir. Tanker owners in the valley have said that a scam to steal army diesel fuel involved Indian military officers and had been going on for years. The IHK Petrol Tank Owners Association says “the scam involves drivers, officers and middlemen and has cost hundreds of millions of rupees to the Government of India. It was found that diesel in seven tankers bound for Ladakh had been sold off and replaced with water. According to a report published in the Times of India on October 3, 2005 the Indian Armed Forces have held 6,000 court martials since 2000, and that by any standards is a disturbing picture for the Indian Armed forces.

According to the latest statistics of the Army discipline, 1,215 Indian soldiers were court-martialed in 2000, 1,034 in 2001, 1,031 in 2002, 945 in 2003, and 872 in 2004. Last year, around 30 officers were convicted in court martial proceedings. Because of the deteriorating service conditions, the charisma of army is diminishing with each passing day.

There is no rush of youths to join the once-favoured military, and the persisting shortage of officers in the 1.1-millionstrong army is now around 11,000. Standards of armed forces have gone from bad to worse. It is because of a deep seated cancer of bribery and corruption that Indian Army faces a severe crisis of discipline, confidence and self esteem today.