New Delhi: An internal probe by the Army revealed that at least two candidates made it into the prestigious Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, and another cleared the Service Selection Board (SSB) of the National Defence Academy (NDA) in December 2020 through corrupt practices, ThePrint has learnt.
The investigation, sources in the defence establishment said, also revealed that a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) managed to become an officer in the Grenadiers regiment after paying close to Rs 10 lakh to the main accused, a Lieutenant Colonel rank officer.
The alleged scam is believed to involve several serving personnel, including five Lt Colonel rank officers and two Majors.
The probe began last month after the Army’s Military Intelligence wing got a tip-off about the alleged payment of bribes to clear rejected officer candidates during their review medical exam at the Base Hospital in New Delhi, sources told ThePrint.
The Army investigation led to the identification of some of the accused. However, the Army chief, sources said, suspected that the scam may run deeper and directed that the case be handed over to the CBI, which filed an FIR in the matter Monday.
“The Army first did an internal investigation and found that there were many others who were involved, including serving officers and their family members. Having realised that the scale could be higher, the Army chief decided to hand over the case to the CBI so that a proper investigation could be done and this case be made an example of,” a source said.
Based on this direction, the Additional Directorate General, Discipline & Vigilance, Adjutant General’s Branch in the Army Headquarters, wrote to the CBI on 13 March, giving full details of the alleged scam. The case, the officer said, “involves wider network of service personnel and civilians”.
“To take this case to the logical conclusion, the case is being shared with CBI. The same will ensure that culprits do not go scot-free,” the Army note to the CBI said.
The CBI Monday booked 17 Army officers and personnel — including a Lt Col, Major, Naib Subedar, and Sepoy — and six private individuals, among others, for alleged bribery and irregularities in recruitment of officers and other ranks through SSB.
In a statement, the CBI said it had conducted searches at 30 places, including the Base Hospital, Delhi Cantonment, other Army establishments, and civilian areas covering 13 cities — Kapurthala, Bathinda, Delhi, Kaithal, Palwal, Lucknow, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur, Guwahati, Jorhat and Chirangon — and recovered several “incriminating documents”. The documents are being scrutinised as the investigation continues, the CBI added.
The aforementioned source said the allegations will lead to a lot of noise against the force, and questions on the recruitment format, but added that Army chief Gen M.M. Naravane “felt that a firm example should be made of all those who took part in this corrupt practice”.
Also read: ‘Booze Brigadier’ to egg & tent scams: Indian military must check falling standards in ethics
The accused
The Army’s internal probe led to the identification of Lt Col. MVSNA Bhagwan of the Army Air Defence as the alleged mastermind of the scam. Lt Col. Bhagwan is currently on study leave in Visakhapatnam.
Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh, posted at the Base Hospital, Delhi Cantonment, is believed to be the main middleman who scouted for candidates willing to pay money for selection through the SSB.
Naib Subedar Singh is accused of seeking assistance from Lt Col Bhagwan for SSB exams “in lieu of money” and “touted aspiring candidates” to him, according to the Army probe.
Along with him, the Army has identified Major Bhavesh Kumar, Group Testing Officer, Selection Centre North, Kapurthala, Lt Col Surender Singh, 31 SSB Selection Centre North, Lt Col Y.S. Chauhan, 6 Mountain Division Ordnance Unit, Lt Col. Sukhdev Arora, Directorate General Recruiting, New Delhi, and Lt Col Vinay, Group Testing Officer, Selection Centre South Bangalore, as “facilitators”.
Besides them, the Army has identified Lieutenant Navjot Singh Kanwar of 12 Grenadiers for “fraudulently” clearing SSB for SL (Special List) Commission, a way for NCOs to become officers.
Others accused are Cadet Hemant Dagar, SSC (Tech)—53 OTA, along with Cadet Inderjeet NCC (SPL) Entry—47, OTA.
Havildar Pawan Kumar is accused of paying money to get his son Neeraj Kumar to clear the SSB. The son cleared the SSB at the NDA in December 2020.
The CBI FIR mentions more Army personnel as accused, including Major Amit Fagna of 422 Field Hospital Delhi Cantonment.
Modus operandi
Sources said the scam revolved around clearance of candidates rejected temporarily by the medical board. One of the accused, Havildar Rajesh Kumar, Independent Recruitment Organisation, Delhi Cantt, used to collect a list of such rejected candidates and divulged the merit list prematurely.
It is suspected that payments for these transactions used to be made through cash and UPI to family members of the accused, including parents.
Military Intelligence, sources said, managed to track down several UPI payments and also video footage of “packages being exchanged”.
The CBI FIR says Major Bhavesh Kumar allegedly accepted bribes for 10-11 candidates, while Lt Col Surender Singh is alleged to have “accepted bribe for selection of 10-15 candidates”.
Also read: Don’t criticise CDS, service chiefs for integrity pledge. Accept corruption in armed forces
I am sure if this is to be done in other SSB centres CBI get many leads
All those Army Officers and Soldiers who are involved in this malpractice,I just want to ask one question. Bloody traitors,if you all are so keen to earn money and take bribes then why the hell are you doing in Indian Armed Forces?? If you all were so interested to fill up your pockets by wrong intensions then you would have either applied for UPSC Civil Services Examination, become an IAS OFFICER and take bribe for illegal matters. Or else you all would have joined politics become a MLA,M.P in future a Minister then you would have taken bribes (through that you all would have earned lakhs of rupees). But,how you all dared to play with our national security??
I request our Honourable Supreme Court to take serious actions against these traitors who wants to destroy our country. Jai Hind 🇮🇳🇮🇳
Brother not only taking bribes in Indian army will affect our national security but also in all sectors who takes bribes also affect our countries growth.
Sergeant PK Gogoi (ex )It’s a big stain on a good and handsome face like throwing acid .To revive the originality it requires a good and sophisticated operation.There could have been a doubt if it was done through internal enquiry since there is a chance of biasing . Now the enquiry is in a good hand provided they maintain the prestige and dignity as the public have on the organisation (CBI) best of luck for those money eaters but not food
Wat on earth made them commit these misdeeds capable aspirant students will not have future if our defence personalities who swear an oath to serve the nation with dignity . this should be teaching a lesson to other culprits who have master minds so that they do not think in their dreams too.
Trucks, Eggs, Defence Land, Chopper, Coffins, Recruitment……It was happening before, it is happening now and may be will also happen in future . In the ad they call it a “life less ordinary”! Of course such things are not ordinary. LOL
One thing is cleared that the Army has ‘0’ tolerance for any activities by handing it over to Civil investigating authority for further investigation
Secondly, the services of these shameless officers should be terminated immediately.
Such loopholes in SSB need to be reviewed with expert team immediately & new norms i.e processes should be implemented for selection.
I am an aspiring candidate to join the forces but after seeing this article i am completely shocked. I always knew about some or other fractures in the SSB selections but nothing was done to fix it. Now it seems that this probe would set a good example and would stop such persons from taking such fraudulently measures.
it is shameful. These kind of elements, have betrayed the organization .Exemplary punishment must be handed over to these traitors
They’re gonna sell this country out . I bet they take money from terrorists too. Greed from the top to the bottom. Rotten from the inside .
I think CBI should do this in Hyderabad too..they may get many lead..
One of known candidate recommended and medical urin obnormal and weight 10kg more, appeal to Pune, at Bangalore medical boar instructed to reduce 7kg and and siply drink water and give more water you go for test, same way he appeared at pune, they said who told you to reduce only 7kg fortunatly he reduced 12 kg, urine still they are telling some issue he may appesr one more, my question is why bangslore medicsl boar didn’t told about real medicsl problems of the candidste?
Its a tip of iceberg and more info will surely bring cilprits in Uniform as as civilians. Additionally, I want to bring to notice or may be authorities are already taking care of, the nexus established between Private Coaching Academies (Not all) catering for uniform services preparations. Its not hidden that at times these academies also go hand in hand with recruitment process and sometimes go beyond our imagination. Now the lid is open and hopefully we can see more and more worms will come out of the jar. Private Academies in Pune area also to be kept on radar, surely lot many surprises will come out.
These are the officer like qualities that these officers are trying to teach the cadets,shame on them…..
It is very shameful .having good faith on army of my country
FOR THE GREED OF SOME .. DO NOT DISRESPECT THE ENTIRE ARMED FORCES… THERE ARE MEN WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIFE FOR OUR NATION. BE POSITIVE MY FRIEND …
There might be lot more serving officers in IA who got recommended after giving bribes bcoz we found a lot of officers who even didn’t deserve to be a tradesman in IA……. This is very shameful for this organisation…….
Because of these criminals, candidates like us are not getting selected.
The involved officers and others should be court-martialled and awarded the maximum punishment in addition to confiscating their I’ll gotten property. Kudos to caso for the right decision 👍
Great to hear that these malpractices are being unearthed even in selection of Army Officer. Intended to see exemplary award of punishments by CBI and Army itself too.
The accused should be punished hard and should be decommisioned from army
Just like rotting of expectations..
As a candidate, I can feel such cases demolarise.
They should be punished hard, as they made a black dot on the prestige of institutions.
Corruption should be dealt sternly.Army chief did right to hand over case to CBI.Big fishes should be fished out.
Being an exserviceman I am appalled by the situation in Higher echelons of Army n shoddy enquiries .
Army chief has rightly handed over the case to CBI.
Lot of big fishes will be in net.
Corruption returning up Army.
Good Job by Army for handing over case to CBI. Otherwise over smart officer may find out way to escape. This case may be example if the case better and harder result announced in public
Very bad for Army.Must weed out unscrupulous elements.
Good job done by Army to give enquiry to CBI.
Otherwise Army court can be bias .
I know how many cases during IPKF were put under carpet by eyewash enquiries.
Being part of the organization I am deeply concerned by this .
Corruption was rampant in Army earlier also.Now the digital application has been there to blow the lid of.
Very appalling that a very good institution like Army is rigged.I think Army chief did right to give the case to CBI.
Surprised how the racket is going with impunity must be big fish involved.
Should be court martial in crash court and send without pension.
All such misfit candidates in academy to be thrown out.
This is really embarrassing. But the Army had done a great job by handling the case to CBI. All party involved should be punished severely. Let it be an example to follow by all institutions.
These Officers should realise what they did. There l are many candidates who are capable of entering OTA or NDA, but due to such cheap people the integrity of the Indian Army is being affected. They must repay their deads.
Rehan sabir brmare
Mera Bharat Mahan ………. Corruption is running in our blood and culture we Indian teach our children to take and give bribes it’s a part of our tradition values, which brings us to this where and which institutions are left unstained ?? Judiciary,Amry, Airforce,Navy, PMO, Ministerial administration, RTO transport, each govt offices..
Indian sleeper cells=Defence Officers.
THIS IS YHE VERY DISAPPOINTING NEWS TO HEAR .. BEING A CANDIDATE IN 2020 FOR NDA SSB THERE I WAS COFERENCE OUT BUT TILL NOW I AM CONFUSED WHY I WAS OYT NOW I GWT THE ANSWER
A fish in a pond makes the entire pond dirty goes the saying. There might be instances of corruption and such shameless people exist in all walks of society. However, please do not generalise it to the army as a whole. If that was the case the army would not have sought a CBI inquiry to clean such pathogens. People who go and sacrifice their lives in the front line do not do it because someone in the country paid bribe to them. Please desist from genaralising things for you are disrespecting our martyrs and sincere, honest and patriotic soldiers and officers of the army. Believe you me, despite so much of a diversity, our army is the best in the world. They should be all the more respected and deserve every care and attention from every citizen of the country. Do punish the guilty but please do not generalise issues and tarnish the image and honour of The Greatest Army on Earth.
SSB Centres have made the space for corruption. The screen in (stage I test) is the live example. It is impossible to judge any candidate quality within 01 minutes. Even they hide the marks obtained and reason for rejection. This is the root cause of corruption. We do not see such type of hide and seek in UPSC exam which is the top exam of India. Screen in procedure should be eliminated from SSB then the problem can be resolved. Other these black sheep will be in system.
Indian Army must flush out all black sheeps to restore its age old credibility and hold flag of transparency high. Jai Hind.
India is suffering from this type of disease .There no vacine for this in india ..
Nepotism in SSB is well known fact and many get into forces just by virtue of their parents and relatives in the Forces. This must also be investigated along with bribery issue.
CBI is an investigation agency used badly for the political vendetta. This valued agency should be kept unbiased to perform properly.
I appreciate the initiative taken by the Indian army and the CBI. This is unfair to the deserving candidates who work hard to achieve their dream of becoming an officer.
I have seen many army officers use to say MES personal are corrupt and MES is money earning service.
Now, army personnel bribery case bring army under scanner, Both Army & MES part of defence if any one do such type of act its really shameful for the country.
Jai Hind.
It is the right approach adopted by the Army to hand over the investigations to the CBI, after internal sources unearthed the irregularities.
Corruption and malpractices are to be dealt with speedily and sternly, whether in the Armed Forces, bureaucracy or the Government.
Sir tell me your views about this conspiracy … What action do you think that army will take to the fraudly commission officers , training cadets , and all army personnel who run this ssb recommendation program …. These officers will court martial? Or not … … Sir give me your best wishes for my upcoming nda ssb … I’ll definitely sure about me as a fresher I’ll recomend by my own efforts 🔥 .. a serve nation with pride and loyalty .
Let us not sit in judgement on this specific case as it is still under investigation.
Records show that the Armed Forces have always been swift in investigation and punishment on transgressions in its ranks. There is no reason to presume it will be different this time.
The lid is blown. Seems like the rot runs deep. Unfortunate to see these corrupt practices happening at the SSB. Being a candidate myself, this is very unfair to the deserving candidates who prepare hard for interview and dreams of becoming an officer in the Indian armed forces…..
SSB selections have always been rigged. Its nothing new. People all along knew that bribes were being paid to get selected. Many a time, even postings and promotions are bought with bribes.
The armed forces are riddled with corruption. CSD canteens are another avenue for illegal profiteering.
Under the guise of national security, the aed forces refuse to release details of anything. Transparency goes for a toss and this inevitably results in gross abuse of authority.
The whole incident was cover blown by Military intelligence. If they wouldn’t have done this operation, you wouldn’t get a chance to comment this. So always keep faith in your forces. They are there only thinking of our security. So please don’t comment something bad without knowing anything. There are always some imposter for which we can’t blame the whole system.
These shameless officers should be given harsh punishments, both bribe takers and those who got wrongly selected. They have brought shame to a great institution.