CBI starts discreet inquiry against Major Generals for alleged disproportionate assets

NEW DELHI: CBI today started an inquiry in connection with a Defence Ministry complaint seeking a probe into the alleged disproportionate assets amassed by two serving Major Generals of the army.

The agency received the reference from the Ministry and immediately began a "discreet" inquiry (verification of facts) to ascertain whether the details given in the complaint should be taken up as preliminary enquiry or a regular case, the sources said.

The sources said the agency will look into the allegations and documents to determine future course of action, they said.

"As of now, only verification of facts is going on," the source said.

The Ministry had ordered a probe after receiving complaints against Maj Gen Ashok Kumar and Maj Gen S S Lamba, both AVSM awardees.

The promotion of these officers to three-starred rank of Lieutenant General was stopped in September 2015 after allegations of impropriety surfaced against them.

The Special Promotion Board of the Army was held for selecting three Lieutenant Generals, for which about 33 officers were considered including the two officers.

Once the recommendations were sent, the allegations of corruption started doing the rounds, which prompted Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to take note.

It was decided that a CBI inquiry be ordered against them, they said.