Click to play videoThe Chief of the Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor has spoken out for the first time on the Sukna land scam and admitted that it has embarrassed the Army.
Speaking exclusively to Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN's Devil's Advocate, General Kapoor also said that Defense Minster AK Antony has been kept in the loop at every stage of the investigation.
General Deepak Kapoor: To an extent it has embarrassed the Indian Army, but I would say that more important is to see what steps the organisation has taken to try and ensure that such incidents do not get repeated.
Karan Thapar: Looking back, and given that this really is a matter of propriety and there are no real specific charges of corruption, could this issue have been handled better?
General Deepak Kapoor: I think in our country the media has been super-active on this issue, and I think if they had been better informed of how the military system of law works, how it proceeds, then perhaps they would have been able to handle it in a lot more positive fashion than the purely negatively perspective
Karan Thapar: Would you say the media has been unfair?
General Deepak Kapoor: I would only say that the media has not been fully fair and objective in this particular case - and to an extent has sensationalised the issue, specially when things like 'scams' and 'scandals' have been talked about. When you generally refer to a scam it means certain amount of money involvement, wrongdoing in terms of making money etc, etc. As far as this case is concerned, there has been no indication of any kind of money involvement of anyone.
Karan Thapar: Before you made your initial decision to take action against the four indicted generals, did you consult the Defence Minister?
General Deepak Kapoor: Karan you know it's a process. When such a thing happens, then obviously the Defence Ministry would also be concerned when some senior officers have been alleged to be involved in a thing like this, so a degree of involvement always takes place and it won't be right to assume that no such interaction takes place. Because naturally I have to keep the Government informed of any happening within my organistaion as well.
Karan Thapar: So there were consultations with the Minister all the time?
General Deepak Kapoor: I leave it to you. I have said that in as many words.
General Kapoor also dismissed suggestions that he was initially soft on his Military Secretary - Lt Gen Avadhesh Prakash.
General Deepak Kapoor: When I had to look at the issue, I had to be insuring that I was fair, that I was just, that everyone was looked at from the degree of culpability involved of that individual in the case.
Karan Thapar: In other words you are saying that justice required that you give differential recommendation for punishment, the same punishment for all four would not have been just?
General Deepak Kapoor: That's right.
Karan Thapar: But the media in particular have interpreted this as an attempt to be softer and gentler to General Prakash - who they say - as Military Secretary was close to you?
General Deepak Kapoor: I had to be conscious of the fact that I did not have any personal or media pressure on myself. General Prakash is one of the PSOs serving under me. I have total of 8 PSOs serving under me, and they happen to be there by virtue of whatever personal reputation they have enjoyed in the past, therefore one PSO is as dear to me or as far way from me as the other.
Karan Thapar: So the allegation or accusation that you were being partial to General Prakash is actually unfair?
General Deepak Kapoor: I would say that.
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