New Delhi (27.11.2021): A Deputy Inspector General rank officer has alleged that despite being up in the merit list, he was denied promotion. This has been happening due to the alleged malpractices in promotion boards. The Defence Ministry is probing forgery charges in confidential records of senior-level officers for promotions.
In a representation filed for grievance redressal by a DIG-rank officer from the technical branch of Coast Guard, it is alleged that his records were "misrepresented" and numerical assessments in his Annual Confidential Records (ACRs) were dropped to push him down with "devious" intent to promote an officer much below in the list for promotion from DIG to Inspector General rank in the departmental promotion board held in 2020.
Sources said that the officer alleged in his complaint that the entire exercise was done to favour an individual. The complaint was filed at a time when the Defence Ministry had to scrap the entire promotion board after the intervention of the Defence Minister's office when it emerged that ACRs of officers at Inspector General rank have been manipulated and marks given to them in the previous ACRs have been tempered with allegedly using whitener to benefit officers lower in merit to come up in the list and get the promotions.
Sources said that ACRs of officers have also mysteriously gone missing from the records of the Indian Coast Guard which may leave the scope for manipulation in future promotions. So, the Defence Ministry has issued an order that while holding the promotion board of officers their ACRs of previous two years from the date of the promotion board would not be taken into account as per the department of personnel guidelines which were not being followed earlier. The rule was changed in the Coast Guard in the backdrop of forgery charges.
A senior officer, who could have been adversely affected due to the corrective measures taken by the government, has approached the Delhi High Court against it soon after the order in this regard was passed.
Sources in the Defence Ministry said that the government would strongly take up its case in the court and may order another inquiry to pinpoint the blame on the officer or officers involved in the alleged forgery of ACRs of officers from the rank of ADG and below. It was rejected that there was any attempt to shield the officials who may be behind this alleged forgery. Strong actions would be taken against the culprits irrespective of the rank.
The Indian Coast Guard spokesperson refused to comment on this by saying that he was unaware of the case. The Narendra Modi government has been very tough on corruption and exemplary action has been taken against erring officials in every department and ministry including defence.
