Kolkata: Justice Rajashekhar Mantha of the Calcutta High Court expressed surprise while hearing a petition alleging that two Pakistani nationals were recruited into the Indian Army. The petition was filed by Bishnu Chowdhury, a resident of Hooghly's Magra in West Bengal. The petition came up for hearing in the court on Tuesday. The court directed the CID to file a complaint and conduct a preliminary investigation into the matter.
Besides, Justice Rajashekhar also issued orders making Centre, CBI, paramilitary forces and General-Officer-Commanding Eastern Command parties in the case. In the petition, it was alleged that illegal recruitment was going on in the Army in exchange for money.
Two persons Mahesh Chowdhury and Raju Gupta belonging to Army were involved in allegedly recruiting people by forging documents in exchange for Rs 6 to 8 lakhs, stated the petition. Two Pakistani nationals Jaikant Kumar and Pradyuman Kumar were inducted into the Army illegally.
The petitioner Bishnu Chowdhury also told the court that fake domicile certificates, police verification certificates and other forged documents were made in lieu of Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakhs illegal gratification. In the case, it was also alleged that these two persons from Pakistan, Jaikant Kumar and Pradyuman Kumar, were allegedly recruited from Barrackpore situated on the outskirts of Kolkata.
He told the court that the 'cut-off marks' for the Army recruitment exam in other states, including Uttar Pradesh, are quite high. In comparison to this, the 'cut-off marks' in West Bengal are much less. Mahesh Chowdhury and Raju Gupta were recruited into Army illegally. And that's how two Pakistani nationals made it to the Army job. The petitioner also mentioned that no one knows the real names of those two Pakistani citizens.
Expressing surprise over the allegations, Justice Rajashekhar said that "foreign spy agencies like the ISI could infuse their men into the Army in this way. A very serious complaint." He directed the CID to register a case and conduct a preliminary investigation on the allegations of recruitment of two Pakistani nationals in the Army. The court asked the CID to submit the probe findings in the next hearing of the case on June 26.
