Navy to speed up probe against officer in Gorkshov project: Antony
April 16th, 2010 - 3:37 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, April 16 (IANS) Defence Minister A.K. Antony Friday said he has asked the Indian Navy to speed up the probe into allegations against an officer accused of “loose moral conduct” during his posting in Russia to oversee the re-fit of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov.
He said the navy has completed one part of the investigation against Commodore Sukhjinder Singh, and the second part has been started.
“As the navy completes its investigation a decision will be taken. I have asked the navy to speed up the probe. I don’t want to jump to any conclusions,” he added.
A board of inquiry, headed by a vice admiral, was ordered 10 days ago after “objectionable” photographs involving Singh and a Russian woman surfaced.
According to sources, the probe into Singh’s alleged involvement with a Russian woman is over. The navy is now investigating to ascertain his proximity with some Russians and if it was in any way linked to the problems associated with the Gorshkov project, including the cost escalation and delay in the ship’s delivery.
Singh was deputed to Russia to supervise re-fitting and other technical requirements of the carrier, which has been renamed INS Vikramaditya. He was stationed there from 2005 to 2007.
India last month cleared the $2.35 billion revised price for the carrier.
The warship, originally purchased for $1.5 billion, is currently undergoing a refit at Russia’s Sevmash shipyard. Of the total cost, $974 million was meant for the refit and the balance for a squadron of MiG-29K combat jets that will be deployed on the vessel.
Citing additional costs for the refit, Moscow jacked up the price to $2.9 billion. However, New Delhi wanted the price to be reduced to $2.1 billion. The revised price was decided during Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi last month.
Ask about the possibility of involving the armed forces in tackling the Maoist menace, Antony said: “The government will take an appropriate decision after considering all aspects.”
He was speaking on the sidelines of a Unified Commanders conference in the national capital.
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- Senior navy officer to be sacked for sexual misconduct (Lead, changing dateline) - Feb 05, 2011
- Senior Indian Navy officer sacked for sexual misconduct - Mar 31, 2011
- Indian Navy probing officer handling Gorshkov project - Apr 12, 2010
- Indian Navy awaits defence ministry order to sack senior officer - Feb 08, 2011
- Indian Army officer under scanner after honey-trapped by Pakistan (Lead) - Dec 20, 2011
- Navy crew training in Russia for Gorshkov takeover - Apr 14, 2011
- Navy officer facing sex scandal inquiry discharged - Feb 05, 2011
- Gorshkov deal unlikely during PM's Russia visit: Antony - Nov 27, 2009
- India to get Russian aircraft carrier by December - Jan 17, 2012
- Cabinet clears $2.35 bn for Russian aircraft carrier - Mar 11, 2010
- Defence secretary in Russia for talks - Jun 13, 2011
- Gorshkov talks in final stages but no deadline: Navy chief - Dec 02, 2009
Tags: admiral gorshkov, aircraft carrier, antony, board of inquiry, combat jets, commodore, defence minister, escalation, indian navy, maoist, moral conduct, New Delhi, russian prime minister, russian woman, sevmash, shipyard, vice admiral, vikramaditya, vladimir putin, warship