The Army has ordered a Court of Inquiry to investigate allegations of ‘pocketing fake currency notes’ amounting to Rs 72,000 against a Major General heading the Army Postal Service (APS).
The inquiry, which is underway in New Delhi, has been ordered to investigate the allegations against Maj Gen M K Khan, who is an Indian Postal Service (IPoS) officer holding a temporary commission in the Army. He is currently serving as Additional Director General Postal Services in the Army Headquarters (HQs).
Lt Gen Adosh Kumar, Director General (DG) Artillery, is the presiding officer of the inquiry with Maj Gen K G Kumar Devayya, Additional DG Dental Services, and Maj Gen Shivendra Kumar, Additional DG EME (B), as members of the Court of Inquiry.
The allegation pertaining to pocketing fake currency notes amounting to Rs 72,000 dates back to December 19-20, 2016, when a technical inspection was carried out at 1 Central Base Post Office in Delhi Cantonment. Maj Gen Khan was serving as Brigadier looking after postal services in HQs Western Command in Chandimandir at the time.
The inquiry follows a written complaint received by the Army authorities listing out certain allegations against the General.
Attempts were made to reach Maj Gen Khan for his comments on the developments but he did not respond to phone calls or text messages.
For the record, several officers of the Army Postal Corps had been tried by court martial on allegations of illegalities carried out by them following the demonetisation in 2016.
Among those who faced disciplinary action for their acts of omission and commission were a Brigadier, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Captain and Warrant Officer. The allegations against them pertained to illegal exchange of demonetised currency notes worth Rs 6 lakh with legal currency at the 1 Central Base Post Office in New Delhi.
They were also accused of preparing 5,944 forged forms with fake IDs for the exchange carried out on November 9, 2016, the day the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were declared invalid by the central government.
Varying punishments were awarded to several of the accused officers ranging from loss of service to rigorous imprisonment.
Civilian officers of the Indian Postal Service of varying grades serve in the Indian Army holding temporary commission of an officer. These officers relinquish the commission when they revert to their original postal service. However, many postal officers serve multiple tenures in the Army as they come and go, thereby serving in both the civilian postal service as well as the Army Postal Service.
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