NEW DELHI, Mar 16 (Agencies): The army has initiated disciplinary action against a senior officer Col Deepak Raina for alleged negligence in the case of disappearance of top classified documents relating to army operations on the Indo- Chinese border.
Raina was holding the key appointment of Colonel General (Staff) at the headquarters of Tezpur-based 4 Corps when Lance Naik Javed Khan posted, as clerk in his office, was caught for passing on classified documents relating to exercises on the Chinese border.
Khan was caught by the Guwahati police after some classified documents were recovered from his father, a retired IAF Seargent, Mohd Hanif Khan in July last year, according to army officials here.
Javed Khan was subsequently found guily by a General Court Martial, dismissed from service and sentenced to 14 years rigorous imprisonment on charges of espionage.
An army spokesman said Raina was not involved in espionage activities but was being proceeding against for his role in non-implementation of safety and security instructions on handling of classified documents.
"Based on the court of inquiry, the General Officer-in-Command, Eastern Naval Command, had directed disciplinary action be also initiated against Col Deepak Raina", the spokesman said.
"Disciplinary action is being processed in accordance with army regulations in vogue", an army spokesman said refuting allegations that documents which had gone missing pertained to "Nuclear issue" or deploymnent of missiles on the Chinese border.
"If the officer is found guilty of charges, he faces punishment of dismissal or loss of seniority," army sources said.
They said the summary of evidence was recorded in the case.
The action follows instructions from Army headquarters to clamp down hard on all cases relating to discipline as well as laxity.
Court Martial proceedings are currently in progress in a case relating to large scale illegal sale of army liquor by Divisional Commander posted at Bareilli.
Geelani invited to attend seminar in Pakistan SRINAGAR, Mar 16 (Agencies): Chairman of hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been invited for a four-day seminar on Kashmir organised by World Social Forum in Pakistani Port city of Karachi.
Geelani, who was denied travel document to take part in the recently held Pugwash Conference in Islamabad, has been asked to speak on the topic 'Pakistan: Kashmir's Manifest Destiny' in the session titled political choices: the bullet versus the ballot since 1989.
