Author: Sharat Pradhan
in Lucknow
Publication: Rediff
on Net
Date: September 29,
2000
The central command authorities
have taken into custody three more armymen, over the last week, for alleged
involvement in Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence activities.
According to military
sources at the command headquarters, they were held in Shimla, Jalandhar
and Lucknow.
With this, the number
of military personnel arrested for ISI connections has gone up to 11.
Eight retired and serving personnel were nabbed earlier this month.
Barring a retired major, the others were junior commissioned and non-commissioned
officers.
The crackdown began with
the arrest of havildar Chedi Prasad Lal, posted in a sensitive wing of
an army establishment in Shimla. Earlier, he was posted at the command
headquarters here.
"Confessing involvement
with the recently arrested ISI agents, Taj Mohammad Sheikh, a dismissed
major and Sant Ram Rai, he gave clues of a similar nexus of Army Medical
Corps havildar I B Sheikh, employed at the central command hospital here,"
a source said.
Sheikh's interrogation
led to the arrest of havildar Hari Singh, who was recently posted from
the command headquarters here to Jalandhar. "While being attached
to the 'A' branch here, Hari Singh was often privy to highly classified
documents," a senior officer said.
While the three are under
military custody, the army authorities do not rule out the arrest of more
personnel involved in subversive activities.
The series of arrests
of military personnel, under the jurisdiction of the central command, has
become a matter of concern for the authorities.
However, outgoing general
officer commanding-in-chief Lt General Surjit Singh had told mediapersons
earlier this week here, "Mostly retired persons have been arrested in this
connection; while we really take care to keep the feeling of nationalism
and patriotism alive in them as long as they are serving, we really cannot
do much once they are superannuated." However, the arrest of the three
serving personnel seems to belie the general's explanation.
