CBI probe detrimental for Army: Jaswant Singh

NEW DELHI - Even as Defence Minister A.K. Antony ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the multi-crore Adarsh housing society scam, former defence minister Jaswant Singh Wednesday said the probe will be detrimental for the army.

“Personally, I am totally and absolutely opposed to senior officers of the rank of chief of staff being investigated by CBI,” he told reporters outside Parliament House.

The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader said that as an ex-serviceman, he finds it highly objectionable as there are mechanisms within the services which can be used in such cases.

“I take objection to the defence minister deciding that army officers of very high rank be investigated by the CBI. It is detrimental to the morale of the services, you are really blunting your own sword,” he said.

Supporting the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee, he said such committees have been formed in the past as well.

“Such committees have been there. I have been a member of some of them. Whatever is not taken care of by the mechanism within the services can be investigated by the JPC,” he added.

The 31-storey apartment block being constructed in the posh Colaba area of south Mumbai has been hit by allegations of corruption and irregularities, including charges that the flats meant for Kargil heroes and war widows were given to bureaucrats, relatives of politicians and former army and navy chiefs, among others.