Dismissed naval officer alleges torture
Friday, February 3, 2006 (New Delhi):
ndtv
Nearly three months after it dismissed three officers, the Indian Navy is still unable to explain why they were dismissed without a trial.
The officers were dismissed from service on charges of selling classified information to equipment suppliers on October 29 last year. The navy, however, maintains that it has clinching evidence against them.
Breaking his silence for the first time now, one of the officers has alleged that he was tortured and threatened with murder by an organisation he served for 23 years.
VK Jha was a commander in the Indian Navy. A winner of the Shaurya Chakra, he worked in navy's top secret war room in South Block.
The navy claims he is a traitor who sold classified information for money.
However, Jha alleges he was tortured into confessing a crime he didn't commit.
"What they did to me I hope doesn't happen to my worst enemy. They have destroyed my life," Jha said.
Jha is no ordinary officer. In 1997, he was awarded the prestigious Shaurya Chakra for risking his life in saving naval property in Vizag.
He also received the Naval Chief's commendation for exceptional work.
Victim or culprit
But the big question is, is Jha a victim or a culprit?
In the summer of 2005, the navy discovered that information from its war room had been sold to some equipment suppliers.
One of the suppliers alleged to have received this information was Shankaran, an ex-naval officer and son of CNS Admiral Arun Prakash's sister in-law.
Shankaran runs Shank Ocean Engineering and supplies equipment to the navy. Subsequently, the navy set up a board of inquiry to investigate who leaked the information.
On the basis of the inquiry report, three naval officers, including Jha, were dismissed from service in October 2005.
The navy said that a court martial would have taken too much time.
Unanswered questions
Jha insists he is innocent. But even if he is guilty as the navy maintains, certain other questions remain unanswered.
According to Regulation 205 of the Navy Act, an officer appearing before a board of inquiry has the right to cross-examine all witnesses and evidence against him.
He can also sit in on all the hearings. Jha alleges in his case none of this happened.
What is more shocking is that he was threatened in the presence of the board.
"I kept asking them what are the charges against me and they would say we will take you back to the IB," said Jha.
"A DNI officer was always there to scare me. They said the IB will kill you in an encounter. So finally I said I will do whatever you ask me to," he added.
NDTV sent a detailed questionnaire to the navy to try and corroborate Jha's allegations. These related to:
In reply, the navy said it does not wish to make any comments in this matter.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that he was satisfied all rules and procedures were followed in the investigation.
"I am happy that all procedures were followed in the dismissal," said Mukherjee.
Jha is planning to approach the courts to get justice. But since the navy has denied his pension and provident fund to him he has no money left for it.
Till date no action whatsoever has been taken against equipment vendors like Shankaran who are alleged to have bought information from Jha.
The navy has filed no formal complaint against them. Even though if they were in possession of classified information, it is a clear case under the Official Secrets Act.
The officers were dismissed from service on charges of selling classified information to equipment suppliers on October 29 last year. The navy, however, maintains that it has clinching evidence against them.
Breaking his silence for the first time now, one of the officers has alleged that he was tortured and threatened with murder by an organisation he served for 23 years.
VK Jha was a commander in the Indian Navy. A winner of the Shaurya Chakra, he worked in navy's top secret war room in South Block.
The navy claims he is a traitor who sold classified information for money.
However, Jha alleges he was tortured into confessing a crime he didn't commit.
"What they did to me I hope doesn't happen to my worst enemy. They have destroyed my life," Jha said.
Jha is no ordinary officer. In 1997, he was awarded the prestigious Shaurya Chakra for risking his life in saving naval property in Vizag.
He also received the Naval Chief's commendation for exceptional work.
Victim or culprit
But the big question is, is Jha a victim or a culprit?
In the summer of 2005, the navy discovered that information from its war room had been sold to some equipment suppliers.
One of the suppliers alleged to have received this information was Shankaran, an ex-naval officer and son of CNS Admiral Arun Prakash's sister in-law.
Shankaran runs Shank Ocean Engineering and supplies equipment to the navy. Subsequently, the navy set up a board of inquiry to investigate who leaked the information.
On the basis of the inquiry report, three naval officers, including Jha, were dismissed from service in October 2005.
The navy said that a court martial would have taken too much time.
Unanswered questions
Jha insists he is innocent. But even if he is guilty as the navy maintains, certain other questions remain unanswered.
According to Regulation 205 of the Navy Act, an officer appearing before a board of inquiry has the right to cross-examine all witnesses and evidence against him.
He can also sit in on all the hearings. Jha alleges in his case none of this happened.
What is more shocking is that he was threatened in the presence of the board.
"I kept asking them what are the charges against me and they would say we will take you back to the IB," said Jha.
"A DNI officer was always there to scare me. They said the IB will kill you in an encounter. So finally I said I will do whatever you ask me to," he added.
NDTV sent a detailed questionnaire to the navy to try and corroborate Jha's allegations. These related to:
- Jha being illegally kept in custody by Naval Intelligence and brutally tortured
- Being constantly threatened by officers from the DNI and made to sign documents against his will during the enquiry
- And that the navy broke procedures by denying him his legal rights as per the Navy Act
In reply, the navy said it does not wish to make any comments in this matter.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that he was satisfied all rules and procedures were followed in the investigation.
"I am happy that all procedures were followed in the dismissal," said Mukherjee.
Jha is planning to approach the courts to get justice. But since the navy has denied his pension and provident fund to him he has no money left for it.
Till date no action whatsoever has been taken against equipment vendors like Shankaran who are alleged to have bought information from Jha.
The navy has filed no formal complaint against them. Even though if they were in possession of classified information, it is a clear case under the Official Secrets Act.
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"Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power.
It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality."
- Dr BR Ambedkar
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