Army Launches Court Martial Against Major General and Others in Kapurthala Job Scam
Chandigarh: The Army has initiated court-martial proceedings against a Major General and other officers in a five-year-old case involving alleged bribes to select officer candidates for the armed forces at the Service Selection Centre in Kapurthala, Punjab. The case dates back to a 2021 Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged bribery and corruption in army recruitment through Service Selection Boards (SSB).
Following an initial Military Intelligence probe into officers allegedly accepting illegal gratification, the Additional Directorate General of Discipline and Vigilance at Army Headquarters approached the CBI in 2021 for a detailed investigation. The agency registered a case against 23 accused, including army personnel and civilians, linked to irregularities at various SSB centres including Kapurthala.
Searches were conducted at approximately 30 locations across India, including Delhi, Kapurthala, Bathinda, Kaithal, Palwal, Lucknow, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Jorhat, with the agency recovering incriminating material during the investigation. Sources indicated the case involves allegations that candidates were cleared through corrupt means after being temporarily rejected on medical grounds. The alleged scam involved fraudulent clearance through the Review Medical Board, with bribes reportedly ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh per candidate. One jawan allegedly maintained lists of medically rejected candidates who could be approached for illegal facilitation.
The Major General, who headed the centre and was previously attached to Headquarters Delhi Area, had Section 123 of the Army Act invoked against him on Sunday, his last day of service, to enable court-martial proceedings. This section empowers the Army to recall retired or discharged personnel accused of committing offences while serving in the military. About 20 other officers, some retired, have been attached to different formations. Sources said the probe began after complaints were received against a junior officer involved in malpractices, and it later emerged that many other insiders and civilians, including some high-ranking officials, could be involved. The Service Selection Centres (SSCs) conduct the Services Selection Board (SSB) tests for army recruitment.
