Sukuna Land Scam: Lieutenant General Avadesh Prakash To Be Court Martialled-Defence, Featured

Retired Military Secretary Lieutenant General Avadesh Prakash was found guilty in the Sukna land scam case involving the transfer of defence land for building an educational institution on three counts by an army court. Lt Gen Prakash was convicted by the General Court Martial in Guwahati on Saturday. Lt Gen Prakash is the senior most Indian Army officer to face court martial. The case involves the transfer of army land in West Bengal to a real estate developer in 2008. Mr. Prakash could lose his rank and face a pension cut under severe reprimand. Mr.Prakash was held guilty of misusing his position under the Army Act section 45 (conduct unbecoming of his position as an officer) and section 52 (intent to defraud) by the General Court Martial at the 51 sub area of the army station at Narengi. In January this year another senior officier Lieutenant General P K Rath was Court martialled in the same case, both the officers are indicted by a Court of Inquiry last year. The case date back to 2008 and involves the transfer of land next to the Army’s 33 Corps Headquarters in Siliguri, West bengal to areal estate developer. The army inquiry had indicted Lt Gen Prakash for using his position to influence officers to transfer the 71 Acre plot of Army land to the developer. This is what the inquiry had brought out. The scam involved transfer of 71 acres of land adjacent to Sukna military station in West Bengal. The land scam came into light in mid-2008 and the names of Lieutenant General Rath and Lieutenant General Avadhesh Prakash figured who influenced the decision to issue the NOC to a Siliguri based private builder to construct an institution on a 71-acre land adjacent to the Sukna military station in Darjeeling. Prakash was held guilty by the court of inquiry last year and prior to his retirement on January 31, 2010, his court martial orders were given following the intervention of Defence Minister A K Antony.