Pune Feb 24 PTI Pune police have registered an offence against seven Army personnel including two officers after a Naik-rank staffer accused them of allegedly attacking him keeping him in confinement and harassing him physically and mentally an official said on Thursday A defence statement however termed the complaint filed against the military personnel as ill-motivated Police said the alleged incident had taken place on July 6 last year and a complaint in this regard was lodged at Khadki police station The complaint was filed by 34-year-old Army personnel of Naik rank who alleged that two senior Army officers and five other personnel accused him of illegally selling military quota liquor from the CSD canteen meant for defence service personnel in the civil market the police added As per the FIR the complainant alleged that the Army personnel hit him with an iron rod kept him in a confinement detention cell for 20 days and harassed him physically and mentally A statement from defence however termed the complaint as ill-motivated It said that the complainant had been caught by the military police red-handed while trying to sell the military quota liquor meant for defence service personnel in the civil market When investigated further the Naik was found involved in corruption and malpractices by his parent unit An independent senior officer-led inquiry found him guilty of serious corruption charges it said As an afterthought the Army personnel had submitted a complaint to Khadki police on November 16 2021 alleging torture by Army officials the statement said Investigation officer of Khadki police station was then apprised of the factual position of the case including the fact that few of the officials named in the complaint were on leave and not present on duty Allegations were also levelled against the officer who was not even posted at the time of the alleged incident it added PTI SPK NP NP

Panaji (Goa) [India], January 28 (ANI): In a scathing attack on the Central government for giving step-motherly treatment to defence personnel of the country, KPCC President DK Shivakumar on Friday said "give us the opportunity to form a government and we will give the corruption-free, stable and strong government.

Chandigarh Jan 28 PTI Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday attacked the BJP saying those who talk of nationalism should answer why 122 lakh vacancies in the armed forces have not been filled His remarks came at a programme here to launch a Congress booklet Shaurya ke Naam par Vote Sena ke Hiton par Chot that highlights how the BJP government at the Centre compromised with the interests of the personnel of the armed forces but sought votes in the name of their valour This document has been prepared from government statements and official data said Pilot who released the booklet along with Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera Citing a government response in Parliament Pilot a senior Congress leader from Rajasthan claimed that there are as many as 122555 vacancies in the armed forces but the government is doing nothing to fill these vacancies or for the welfare of soldiers Those who talk of nationalism they should answer why these posts have not been filled for the last seven years he said while taking to reporters The government has accepted that 122555 posts are vacant in the armed forces out of which 10000 posts are of officers Somewhere we are compromising the external security infrastructure Pilot said On the booklet which was released ahead of the February 20 assembly polls in Punjab he said Because we believe people of this country and Punjab which is a border state where brave people have faced various challenges need to know the truth Pilot alleged that the BJP government has imposed tax on the disability pension of soldiers and that soldiers were discriminated against in the Seventh Pay Commissions recommendations Ex-servicemen have been cheated in the name of one rank one pension OROP it was claimed in the Congress booklet Pilot said that the previous United Progressive Alliance government led by Manmohan Singh had in February 2014 approved the OROP After the 2014 Lok Sabha polls a new government came but even after seven years 30 lakh ex-servicemen have not got anything he said Besides the budget has been reduced by nearly Rs 2000 crore for the ECHS scheme for soldiers and their families the Congress leader claimed In the CSD canteen first time purchase has come under GST Goods and Services Tax and the upper limit for how much one can purchase has been fixed he said while adding there is a difference between the intent and the actions of the Centre He said the disability pension of soldiers has been made taxable In Seventh Pay Commission step motherly treatment has been meted out to soldiers For example compare defence service officers and civil service officers pay scales salary an additional secretary GoI gets disability pension of Rs 60000 as against Lt General who gets Rs 27000 We are not saying anyones pension should be reduced but why this disparity he asked Pilot said that personnel of paramilitary forces including BSF ITBP CRPF SSB perform their duties in difficult and challenging situations and in areas braving terrorists and naxal threats But the government refuses to accord martyr status to those who lay down their lives in terrorist and Naxal attacks he said Pilot said that the Congress plays the role of a responsible opposition and party MPs have raised these issues on multiple occasions in Parliament but no debate takes place and there is no response from the government He said those who claim to be nationalists and patriots should not do lip service but take real steps for the welfare of serving and ex-servicemen We are proud of our armed forces they are an asset There is no politics in this But we believe it is our duty our right and responsibility so that facts are known to the people so that the government of India finally realises that they have to make budgetary allocation provide schemes and programmes they themselves announced to be implemented on the ground Pilot said PTI SUN VSD ANB ANB