Ex-Kargil brigade commander wants probe into role of officers

With the Armed Forces Tribunal indicting a former officer of fudging accounts of Kargil battles, sacked Brigadier Surinder Singh today demanded an independent probe into the Kargil episode and role of somesenior officers, including the then army chief.

"There was enough intelligence available to prevent Kargil....I want a re-investigation into Kargil episode and role of some senior officers," former Kargil brigade commander Surinder Singh, who was removed from service after the conflict and is presently fighting his case in Armed Forces Tribunal, said here.
          
He also demanded that the role of the then Army chief general VP Malik, Lt Gen HM Khurana, the then GOC in C Northern Command, Lt Gen Krishan Pal, the then GOC 15 corps and Maj Gen VS Budhwar, the then GOC infantry division during the Kargil
conflict be investigated.
       
Singh said he was penning down a book which, he claimed, will tell "all the facts" about Kargil operation.
          
Singh claimed that he had personally briefed Gen Malik and the then director general Military Operations Lt Gen NC Vij about the enhanced threat perceptions in that area, including artillery and missile deployments on the other side.
      
Both the generals were also aware about the withdrawal of our troops in that area, he added.
       
There had been reports of infiltrations in the South of Siachen Glacier as early as January and February 1999 which had been duly sent up the chain of command, he said adding that though the early infiltrations were in an area adjoining his sector, he was not apprised as should have been done.

Singh said he would demand compensation from the Army.

Major Manish Bhatnagar, who too was dismissed from service by a court martial on charges of disobedience during the conflict, had also moved the Armed Forces Tribunal besides the Delhi high court.

Colonel Neeraj Nehra, on whose ACR adverse remarks were put after Kargil conflict, too had moved the Tribunal.