CBI carries out searches at NDA; books principal, four others over irregularities in appointments

In a major action, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out searches at National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune's Khadakwasla area and booked five teaching faculties in connection with the alleged irregularities in selection and appointment of members at the NDA during 2011-12.

The case was registered against the principal, one professor of political science stream, associate professor of chemistry, another associate professor of mathematics. CBI has invoked section 120 B for criminal conspiracy, 420 for cheating, 465 for using forged documents as genuine and 471 for criminal misconduct under Indian Penal Code (IPC) against them.  

In connection with the FIR, two teams of the Pune unit of the anti-corruption bureau of CBI conducted searches at the premises of NDA on Wednesday morning. In a day-long search, the teams of CBI searched the houses and offices of the principal and other faculty members named in the FIR.

The ministry of Defence appoints the faculty members at the NDA on the recommendation of UPSC. As per the procedure, before appointing the faculty members at NDA, the applications are sent to UPSC which carries out the scrutiny of these applications. After shortlisting these applications, UPSC conducts interviews of the shortlisted candidates. These candidates have to submit their documents such as their educational qualification, academic performance indicators (API) scores, and their experience. Based on the recommendations by the UPSC, MoD appoints selected candidates after verifying their documents. 

However, according to CBI officials, there were some discrepancies in the appointment of the persons named in the FIR. The CBI officials stated that the principal of NDA while submitting his documents to UPSC for the post of professor in the Economic stream in 2007, showed exaggerated experience. Even while applying for the post of principal in 2011, he showed exaggerated experience. His documents were not properly verified by the officials at the headquartered- Indian Defence Service (HQ- IDS). 

"Similarly, the political science professor and associate professor of mathematics department gave exaggerated their API scores in their application. Even the head of the Chemistry department did not verify the API scores of the associate professor," an official from CBI said.

Following the searches by CBI, NDA authorities issued a statement on the searches. "NDA in its statement issued through public relation office (PRO) (Defence) state, “NDA was apprised of the allegations by the CBI team on their arrival this morning. They had, with them, relevant documents authorizing the procedure for necessary investigation. It is clarified that the issue related to allegations of submission of inappropriate documentation by some academic faculty members at the time of their selection and appointment to NDA by the UPSC. Necessary actions are at hand and due procedures will follow," the NDA statement reads.