Retd officer says facts distorted on Khukri

CHANDIGARH: The chapter of naval history on Indian Navy's frigate INS Khukri that was torpedoed by Pakistan's submarine 40 years ago, has been termed a ''fiction based on wishful imaginary thoughts'' of Vice-Admiral (retd) S N Kohli by Commander (retd) Benoy Bhushan, who probed its sinking.

More skeletons are likely to tumble out of the Khukri as Bhushan has sought information from naval headquarters about those responsible for ''distortion of facts.''

Admiral Kohli was the flag officer of Western Naval Command (WNC) when the Khukri sank in December 1971. Commander Bhushan had conducted an inquiry on directives from Admiral Kohli and submitted his reports on January 12 and 22, 1972.

Recently, one of the survivors of the ship, sailor Chanchal Singh Gill, had approached the Armed Forces Tribunal seeking inquiry by a judicial commission, withdrawal of gallantry awards from those who allegedly showed cowardice.