Srinagar, October 30

The National Investigation Agency on Tuesday carried out raids at three residences of absconding businessman and Hizbul Mujahideen militant Nasir Safi Mir and his family at Lal Bazaar area here in connection with a terror funding case, officials said.

Mir, 48, is accused of funding Hurriyat leaders and believed to have fled the country after jumping bail, they said, adding that the raids were carried out nearly 10 months after the case was re-registered by the NIA.

Details of the raids were not immediately available as the NIA teams assisted by Jammu and Kashmir Police and para-military forces were in the process of collecting documents from the three places where the raids were conducted, they said.

The NIA probe is likely to ascertain how Mir alias Babul managed to secure a passport from a southern state which he allegedly used in Nepal to leave for Europe in October 2008.

A resident of north Kashmir, Mir allegedly used carpet trade and later a money exchange business in Dubai for sending hawala money to separatist leaders in Kashmir. He was arrested from Lajpat Nagar by the elite Special Cell of Delhi Police on February 3, 2006. The police had seized Rs 55 lakh in cash and explosives from him.

During his trial, Mir managed to secure bail on a plea that his mother was ill.

Mir, who the investigators believe was based in Dubai and owns a carpet showroom and money exchange firms in the gulf, regularly reported to the nearest police station while on bail till early October 2008.

But after that, he failed to turn up at police stations or in court for hearings.

According to intelligence inputs, Mir reached Dubai in 2011, making a detour through countries in Europe and Libya.

Mir, against whom a non-bailable warrant was issued in 2009, travelled to Nepal from India, and then used the forged passport to fly out, the officials said.

A resident of Lal Bazaar on the outskirts of Srinagar city, Mir dropped out of school in 1983 to get into the carpet business. He continued with the trade till 1990 after which he shifted to the national capital and started living in the Lajpat Nagar area of south Delhi.

In the late 1990s, he went to Dubai after his father was arrested for alleged links with militants.

Mir had also told investigators that in Delhi he first opened a firm, Kashmir Master Computers, after which he set up a company, Failala, but closed it in 1998.

In 1999, he started a firm called Idekas and then opened an information technology company, he had said.

Police found that in 2002, Mir had opened two money exchange companies, Reems Exchange and Cash Express, in Dubai, which were allegedly used as a stopover for money being pushed in from Pakistan for terrorist funding in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had in 2014 attached Rs 55 lakh that had been seized from Mir.

He was subjected to extensive interrogation by central security agencies during which he allegedly spoke about his links with separatists groups and banned terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

According to the ED attachment order, the cash which was in the custody of the Special Cell was “proceeds of crime of terrorist funding and money laundering and hence stands attached”.

This is the first major action against terror funding in the country under the stringent provisions of money laundering laws where the onus is on the accused to prove that he or she is “not guilty”.

The attachment of cash or properties under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is aimed at depriving the accused of the benefits of the assets earned unlawfully. PTI

Army chief General Bipin Rawat said a mammoth drill is being undertaken to change the complexion and direction of the 1.2 million- strong force and transform it into a deadlier fighting machine fully prepared for future.

“Let me be clear that we cannot fight the next war like we fought our last,” said General Bipin Rawat in an exclusive interview, explaining the significance of the biggest exercise in independent India’s history to restructure the army and why it tops his priorities as army chief.

The mammoth drill, based on four comprehensive studies led by the army’s topmost generals, will change the complexion and direction of the 1.2 million- strong force and transform it into a deadlier fighting machine fully prepared for future wars, Rawat added.

So what’s on the menu?

The army chief said the implementation of the four studies in their totality would reduce troops (by about 100,000), allow the army to tap technological advances in warfare, create integrated brigades that can be mission-deployed swiftly, cut down the size of the army headquarters, improve the army’s tooth-to-tail ratio and enhance career prospects. “We have to change as the nature of warfare is changing. New structures have to be created incorporating modern technology. That’s the way forward. These changes, reforms, will not happen overnight, but they will happen,” said General Rawat, in his first public comments on the restructuring drive.

All four studies have reached the army chief’s desk in his South Block office and the first, Reorganisation of the Army Headquarters, will be sent to the defence ministry for approval soon and the restructuring could kick off early next year. The remaining three — Reorganisation and Rightsizing of the Indian Army, Cadre Review of Officers and Review of Terms of Engagement of Rank and File — will come up for government approval by the middle of 2019, Rawat said. The studies are being validated.

The army chief said he discussed the studies comprehensively with his seniormost commanders at the recently-concluded Army Commanders’ Conference and that everybody is on the same page.

He said a proposal in one of the studies to abolish the rank of brigadier to smoothen career progression did not find favour within the force; the one-star rank would stay, he added. “We are trying to figure out a formula that allows the brigadier’s rank to stay and still leaves room for improved career progression,” he said.

One of the proposals being considered is to promote colonels directly to the rank of major general and those approved for the two-star rank would first be assigned to command integrated brigades as brigadiers before they go on to command divisions as major generals.

“You can call these integrated brigades lighter divisions or heavier brigades,” he said.

The army could cut over one lakh troops over the next three to five years and some of them could be assigned new roles in domains such as cyber, information and psychological warfare, said Rawat.

“It will result in saving money that can be used for upgrading capabilities. A jawan costs the army Rs 6-8 lakh a year, compared to an officer who earns Rs 20-22 lakh annually. Simply put, cutting down four or five officers will help save a crore,” Rawat said.

“And if the army is saving that money, it should come back to it for taking up modernisation projects. We have limited resources. I will call it rightsizing the army to strengthen its capabilities,” Rawat said.

The troop reduction is likely to be achieved through restructuring different parts of the army, including directorates at the army HQs, logistics units, communications establishments, repair facilities and other administrative and support wings. The restructuring of the army seeks to streamline the procurement process too.

“That’s part of the army headquarters restructuring. And it is a very important facet of the restructuring that we are talking about. We are creating structures at the top levels that will help provide the right equipment to the right troops,” Rawat said.

“For example, if the army wants to buy rocket launchers (RL). It is basically an infantry weapon. That means the infantry should get top-of-the line RLs. But if an engineers’ unit wants RLs, that’s primarily for illumination and not for direct strike. So they can also be given a good RL but the infantry deserves the best because of the job it does. The same goes for assault rifles and other weapons,” he said.

Former army chief General Deepak Kapoor (retd) said several western armies had restructured their forces keeping emerging battlefield scenarios in mind and the Indian Army should also explore if such models could prove useful.

“Modern armies are doing away with large-sized formations as future wars will be fought differently. We are talking about space-age weapons, precision targeting, battlefield transparency and other critical dimensions of warfare. So we need to examine restructuring issues in detail,” said Kapoor, who was at the army’s helm during 2007-10.

Lieutenant General AB Shivane (retd), who was heading the army’s mechanised forces directorate until last December, said the restructuring exercise was a positive and relevant development but there are some caveats.

“There has to be absolute clarity about the outcomes, which have to be discernible and benchmarked with time. It must also relate to the overall national security strategy framework. And rightsizing must have a tri-service flavour,” said Shivane, who was involved in a study on rightsizing and rebalancing of the army in 2014-15.

The army’s restructuring was kicked off on a small scale last year.

In August 2017, the government announced that 57,000 soldiers would be redeployed in combat roles to sharpen the force’s fighting edge. This was done following the recommendations made by the Shekatkar committee on enhancing the army’s combat potential and trimming its revenue expenditure.

The committee also listed out measures to bring down the budget for meeting day-to-day expenses and making more money available for weapons and equipment.

The restructuring of the army headquarters will see the role of the Director General of Military Training being given to the Shimla-based Army Training Command and Director General of Rashtriya Rifles being moved to Jammu and Kashmir under the Udhampur-based Northern Command.

On October 13, the GCM pronounced its verdict and held seven persons guilty. Life imprisonment was awarded to Major-General AK Lal and six others

Ajay Banerjee in New Delhi

SOMETIME in the middle of July this year, the Army commenced General Court Martial (GCM) proceedings to try a major-general and six others for an alleged extra-judicial killing carried out in Tinsukia, Assam, in 1994. The case came to be known as the Dangari Fake Encounter.

Before the GCM was commenced, the Army sought permission to try these officers and men under the Army Act, 1950. This was allowed despite the CBI having already filed a chargesheet in the Guwahati High Court under an FIR (RC-4/S/2000-CAL) lodged by its Kolkata unit in 2000.

On October 13, within three months, the GCM pronounced its verdict and held seven persons guilty. Life imprisonment was awarded to Major-General AK Lal, Colonel Thomas Mathew and Colonel R S Sibiren and junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) Dilip Singh, Jagdeo Singh, Albindar Singh and Shivendar Singh.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who had taken to the streets demanding justice almost quarter a century ago, welcomed the verdict saying, “It will give solace to the families of the victims…. The Army has worked in a fair manner and without any prejudice”.

The ‘limitation’ loophole

On the face of it, the verdict looks like speedy justice. Officers who have served in the Army’s Judge Advocate-General (JAG) branch are skeptical. They say the accused can use the ‘loophole’ created by the conduct of the GCM. They can easily cite ‘time limitation’ as applicable under Section 122 of the Army Act. A GCM cannot be conducted after three years of ‘the competent authority having acquired knowledge of occurrence of the event’. Since the CBI lodged the FIR in 2000 and filed a chargesheet, the facts would have been communicated to the Army.

Col NK Kohli (retd), who has served in the JAG branch, says: “Based on the facts that have come out in the media, the case pertains to 1994 while the CBI registered an FIR in 2000. The ‘time limitation’ — of three years — will start from the day the Army (the competent authority) acquired knowledge of the case. It’s beyond comprehension as how the Army had no knowledge of the case since 2000 when the CBI filed a charge sheet in the court”.

Another expert on legal matters of the Army, on condition of anonymity, cited the case of Colonel Rajvir Singh vs Ministry Of Defence. In his case, the Supreme Court said the Army Commander of Central Command knew of the case as on May 2007 and the GCM was convened in August 2010. The SC in 2012 said it was clearly beyond the period of three years, and hence barred in terms of Section 122.

“One feels sorry to see a trial on such serious charges being aborted on grounds of limitation but that is the mandate of the law,” the order said.

Insiders who understand the legal system say it would have been better to allow the Guwahati High Court to go ahead with the CBI charge sheet as it would not be barred by time-limitation.

The findings of the GCM will have to be confirmed by the Army’s higher authorities — the Eastern Command at Kolkata and the Army headquarters in Delhi. They can agree, partially agree, or even disagree on life imprisonment verdict. The accused can then file an appeal against the verdict in the Armed Forces Tribunal and follow that up with case in the Supreme Court.

What is the case?

Nine activists of the All-Assam Students’ Union (AASU) were picked up by 18 Punjab Regiment from different places in Doomdooma in Tinsukia from February 17 to 19, 1994. Five of the activists — Prabin Sonowal, Pradip Dutta, Debajit Biswas, Akhil Sonowal and Bhaben Moran — were allegedly gunned down near the Dangari river. The Guwahati High Court, which heard a habeas corpus plea, ordered the Army to produce the nine activists at the nearest police station. Statewide protests followed as five of the nine had died. At that time Sonowal, the now Assam Chief Minister, was president of the AASU. The matter was handed over to the CBI at the behest of the court.

Revisiting Army justice

A five-member committee of experts that had Lt-Gen Mukesh Sabharwal (retd), a former Adjutant General of the Army and Lt-Gen Richard Khare (retd), a former military secretary, suggested radical changes in a report in 2015. The committee was tasked by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to review “service and pension matters, including potential disputes, minimising litigation and strengthening institutional mechanisms related to redress of grievances.”

Citing the Army and Air Force Acts in 1950 and the Navy Act in 1957, the committee said, “These were enacted soon after Independence and reflected the mindset of a force of occupation. These were modelled on provisions of the Crown.”

“The independence of judiciary and separation of powers in the civilian set-up in letter and spirit, which, even as on date, remain a far call in the military”, it said adding, “We have ad hoc juries comprising non-judicial and non-legally trained members”. It was referring to how a GCM is conducted by a serving military officer, who may or may not have legal grounding.

The committee suggested provisions making military justice independent and totally insulated from influence of higher ups in the chain of command.

Majid Jahangir & Suhail A Shah
Tribune News Service
Srinagar/Anantnag, Oct 19

Security forces killed five militants in two operations in north Kashmir even as nine Army men, including a Major, were injured in an IED blast in south Kashmir.

Three unidentified militants were killed in a counter-infiltration operation along the Line of Control in Baramulla district. The operation began on Thursday morning when the Army noticed suspected movement close to the LoC near Tourna in the Boniyar sector, around 100 km from Srinagar.

“Challenged, the terrorists opened fire and the ensuing gunfight continued till late last evening. Three bodies were recovered from the dense forest area this morning,” a defence official said. “Four AK rifles, some haversacks and warlike stores have also been recovered.”

The combing operation was still underway in the area, he added.

The identity and affiliation of the slain militants could not be established immediately.

In a separate incident, two Pakistani militants affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed at Kralhar on the outskirts of Baramulla town.

Baramulla SSP Imtiyaz Husain said the militants, operating under code names Faizan and Wahab, were travelling in a Scorpio vehicle towards Baramulla when they were signalled to stop at a check-point. “Both terrorists were killed in a brief gunfight while a policeman suffered minor injuries,” Husain said. “The Scorpio driver has been arrested and the vehicle impounded.”

During searches, an AK rifle, an AK magazine, a UBGL, two Chinese pistols and some ammunition were seized.

Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said when the security men asked for the card from one person, he took out a pistol and fired at police and CRPF men.

“He was killed in retaliatory action while the second one fled while firing. He was chased and killed later,” Dilbag said.

A news portal quoted Jaish-e-Mohammad spokesman as having said that the two militants killed in Baramulla shootout were on a “special mission”. He, however, did not reveal the mission details.

In another incident, nine Army men, including a Major, were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The massive blast occurred around 9.15 pm on Thursday at Trichal village on the outskirts of Pulwama town.

“A Casper vehicle of the 55 Rashtriya Rifles hit a landmine. The blast was followed by intense firing by militants,” a senior police officer said. A Major and eight soldiers sustained injuries in the blast. Militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Villagers alleged Army personnel went berserk after the blast and thrashed locals, injuring 15 civilians, seven of them women. They alleged their houses were also vandalised.

The DGP said the police were yet to receive any formal complaint in that regard. “If there is any such complaint, we will look into it,” he said.

Defence spokesperson Rajesh Kalia said the facts were being ascertained regarding the incident.

Pregnant woman killed in militant attack

A pregnant woman was killed in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district after militants targeted an Army camp on Friday evening, officials said. Superintendent of Police Chandan Kohli said the militants fired two UBGL grenades and also opened fire at the camp at Shadimarg, Pulwama. “Firdousa, daughter of Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh of Qasbayar, Shadimarg, received a bullet injury in the exchange of fire. She was taken to Rajpora hospital, from there she was referred to District Hospital, Pulwama, where she succumbed,” he said. The doctors  said the slain woman was five months pregnant. TNS

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 15

For the second time in less than a month, the police have been caught off guard while militants stole rifles from under their nose.

On Sunday night, militants stole two carbines of the two personal security officers (PSOs) deployed at the residence of retired Senior Superintendent of Police Sheikh Ghulam Mohammad in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. The two PSOs were not present at the house and had kept the weapons in a locked box.

While the pictures of the two carbines surfaced on the social media, claiming that the Jaish-e-Mohammed had looted the weapons, the police said they were investigating which group was involved in the incident.

“So far, the claim is on the social media. We are looking into it (Jaish claim) and all other angles,” said Vidhi Kumar Birdhi, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, central Kashmir.

“We have found that the back door entry to the residence of the retired officer was open which has raised our suspicions. We will also be questioning the private employees working at the house,” the DIG said, adding that strict action would be taken against the policemen for “dereliction of duty”.

Apart from the two Personal Security Officers, there were four policemen to guard the residence of the Senior Superintendent of Police at Gopalpora, Chadoora. Of them, two were absent.

“As the militant barged into the house, they were looking for the weapons of the two police guards present there. When the policemen told the militants that they had no arms, they were thrashed. The militants found a locked box in which the two Personal Security Officers had kept their weapons and decamped with them,” a police officer said. “After the militants fled, they fired gunshots from a distance,” he said.

This is the second time that militants have managed to steal weapons in central Kashmir inless than a month.

On September 28, Special Police Officer Adil Bashir fled with seven rifles and a pistol from Peoples Democratic Party MLA Aijaz Mir’s government residence in Srinagar.

This year, militants have stolen 18 weapons in Srinagar and neighbouring Budgam district.

18 rifles stolen this year

• On Sunday night, militants stole two carbines of the two personal security officers deployed at the residence of retired SSP Sheikh Ghulam Mohammad in central Kashmir’s Budgam district
• On September 28, Special Police Officer Adil Bashir fled with seven rifles and a pistol from PDP MLA Aijaz Mir’s government residence in Srinagar
• This year, militants have stolen 18 weapons in Srinagar and neighbouring Budgam district

The Pentagon has announced that it is grounding its complete fleet of F-35s following preliminary investigations of a recent crash, pointing to the possibility of a widespread problem with the advanced fighter’s fuel tubes, The Marine Corps Time has reported.

On 28 September, single-seat Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II with Marine Corps training squadron VMFAT-501 crashed on a small island just miles from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. The pilot, a US Marine, however, escaped unhurt and was ejected safely.

“The US Services and international partners have temporarily suspended F-35 flight operations while the enterprise conducts a fleet-wide inspection of a fuel tube within the engine on all F-35 aircraft,” the F-35 Joint Program Office announced in a statement released on Thursday morning.

The global fleet of F-35s — including Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy variants — will stay on the ground to enable inspectors to examine the airplanes’ engines.

Close to 320 jets would undergo inspections over the next 48 hours to check fuel tubes in engines that are made by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United TechnologiesCorp.

The F-35 joint strike fighter is reportedly the most expensive program in the Pentagon’s history. The aircraft program is projected to cost about $1 trillion to develop, produce, field and sustain over its lifetime.

The F-35B has a single Pratt & Whitney engine and a lift fan made by Rolls-Royce that allows it to take off and land vertically.

A Lockheed Martin spokesperson said, “We are actively partnering with the Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office, our global customers and Pratt & Whitney to support the resolution of this issue and limit disruption to the fleet.”

The US military has so far purchased 245 aircraft from Lockheed Martin. The Air Force has 156, the Marine Corps has 61 and the Navy has 28.

Britain, Italy, Australia, Israel and Norway are also flying the planes.

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 9

Two women officers of the Army will ride motorbikes to compete in the 20th edition of the Raid De Himalaya, considered one of the 10 toughest high-altitude cross-country rallies of the world.

Maj K Renuka and Capt Prabhakaran Santheni will ride the Royal Enfield Himalayan at the Raid in the Moto Adventure category. Major Renuka is from the Armed Service Corps and Capt Santheni from the Army Nurse Corps (AMC). Capt Santheni is currently working at the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi.

The Raid De Himalaya will begin tomorrow from Kargil. For the first time, the Army has also fielded a women’s team in Raid Xtreme (4X4), an extreme endurance event of marathon proportions. Maj Euthica of the ASC will drive a Maruti Gypsy at the Raid with navigator Capt Tejal Parashare, also of the ASC.

More than 200 competitors will race to Sankoo, the bowl-shaped valley known as Ladakh’s Gulmarg (valley of flowers). The Raid will also go to Umba La, a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.496 metres, and to Drass, called the gateway to Ladakh, in Kargil.

Maj Renuka is an experienced motorcyclist. In June 2018, she participated in the Himalayan Odyssey Women’s Edition, a motorcycle trip from Delhi to Khardung La and Leh. “Serving the Army is a huge empowerment for women. We are professional soldiers. For adventure, we go for trekking, mountaineering, scuba diving, white water rafting, cycling, run marathons,” said Maj Renuka, who has been a biker for close to 20 years now. She hails from Kovilpatti in Tamil Nadu.

Capt Santheni had to compete at the trials held by the Army at Agra in August when competitors for the Raid were selected. “I am in the Army, so willpower is not a problem. We have been preparing ourselves physically for competing in high-altitude areas and I am truly excited about the Raid,” said Capt Santheni, a Keralite from Chennai.

“It is for the first time this year that women officers are riding motorcycles and also competing in Moto Xtreme 4X4. This is a positive message for gender equality,” president, Himalayan Motorsport, Vijay Parmar said.

200 will race to Ladakh 

• More than 200 competitors will race to Sankoo, the bowl-shaped valley known as Ladakh’s Gulmarg
• The Raid will also go to Umba La, a high mountain pass at 4.496 metres, and to Drass in the Kargil sector

China has always been saying its airports in Tibet are coming up for regional connectivity and not for offensive operations, Air Chief BS Marshal Dhanoa said

 Chinese JH7 fighter-bomber jet takes off from an airfield (File)

Voice of Karachi asserted that Pakistan is answerable for several things including the freedom given to the leaders of terrorist group like Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Voice of Karachi chairman Nadeem Nusrat called Imran Khan a weak leader.