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In choppy waters

There is much that is murky in the top echelons of the Indian coast guard, which is meant to guard India’s vast coastline. The scuttling of KPS Raghuvanshi’s appointment as inspector general has forced him to knock at judiciary’s doors [/h2]

By Vishwas Kumar


The 26/11 attack in 2008 exposed holes in India’s coastal security. Ten heavily armed terrorists from Karachi reached Mumbai through the sea-route, killed 166 and hurt 300, as they attacked various sites in India’s financial hub. After the initial shock, the government moved fast and kicked in a process to enhance counter-terrorism measures, with an additional focus on coastal security. This allowed security agencies to recruit, promote and procure more men and materials.

BLATANT FAVORITISM

However, a recent incidence of manipulation in appointments in the Indian Coast Guard has shown that few lessons have been learnt by senior officers for enhancing security and making sure that it is in the hands of capable people. So blatant has this favoritism become that the Delhi High Court had to pass strictures against top Coast Guard officials.

MUMBAI, DEC 5 (UNI): In a joint operation of  Indian Cost Gurad & DRI, The COAST GUARD SHIPS ICGS SUBHADRA KUMARI CHAUHAN & ACHOOK apprehended two vessels involved in illegal activity at 72 mills at South West of Mumbai,  barge MV GANGA SAGAR has sailed from Mumbai with around 23 tons of red  SANDERS Wood for transhipment at sea to another DHOW ?AL MARWAN 10?  which arrived from veraval (GUJARAT). consignemnt of  RED SANDERS WOOD which banned under cites (CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES) is valued at around approx  09 crores, the consignment was planned to be smuggled into Dubai, in Mumbai on Friday.   UNI PHOTO-120u

 A Coast Guard vessel guarding the Indian waters 

It all began when Deputy Inspector General (DIG) KPS Raghuvanshi of the Indian Coast Guard approached the High Court because his appointment as IG was scuttled by Anil Chopra, the then director-general of the Coast Guard, who wanted to promote another official, KC Pande. Chopra later became vice-admiral of the Indian Navy, while Pande is presently posted as Deputy Director General (DDG), human resources department in the Coast Guard.

Raghuvanshi’s credentials were excellent. An alumnus of the prestigious Naval War College (the US), he was the first
person from his batch to be selected for the Indian Coast Guard. He joined it as assistant commandant in January 1984. In May, 2006, he stood first among DIGs and was shortlisted for National Command College, South Korea. He was awarded the Tatrakshak Medal by the President of India on August 15, 2007, for meritorious service. In September 2008, he came first in a National Defense College course in New Delhi.

The manipulation to deny Raghuvanshi his promotion allegedly involved collusion between Admiral Chopra and Binoy Kumar, then joint secretary in the Ministry of Defense.

Raghuvanshi’s lawyers, BP Singh and Parma Nand, allege that the manipulation to deny him promotion involved collusion bet-ween Admiral Chopra and Binoy Kumar, then joint secretary in the Ministry of Defense (MoD). The new vacancy occurred in the organization due to the creation of fresh posts in the aftermath of 26/11 attacks. While these senior posts were created for more effective administration of India’s vast coastline of over 7,500 km, few realized it would be embroiled in unseemly controversy.

Raghuvanshi

DIG KPS Raghuvanshi (left), who was denied the IG post despite his credentials

VIOLATION OF RULES

The flouting of rules was brought up before a double bench of the Delhi High Court comprising of Justices Reva Khetrapal and Pratibha Rani. In their judgment, they said the department arbitrarily changed rules to deny Raghuvanshi’s promotion. First, Admiral Chopra downgraded his Annual Confidential Report (ACR) and secondly, Kumar “clandestinely” granted “post-facto” approval of new promotion rules to favor Pande, in violation of rule books.

The judges expressed their dismay that two high-ranking officials belonging to the IAS and the Indian Navy had played with the career of a bright official against the written advice of the then defense secretary. The judgment said: “Indubitably, the proposal for amendment of CGO (Coast Guard Office rules) 02/2005 was originally rejected at the level of Defense Secretary, i.e., on 16.04.2009. Indubitably also, the MoD had then directed the CGHQ (Coast Guard Head Quarter) to follow the CGO 02/2005 and conduct the DPC (Departmental Promotion Committee) expeditiously. Since the said proposal was originally rejected at the level of Defense Secretary, the ‘post facto’ approval granted by the Joint Secretary (Navy)/MoD on 19th June, 2009, was without any authority and an attempt to ride rough-shod over the orders passed by the Defense Secretary.”

Questioning the power of Admiral Chopra to review Raghuvanshi’s ACR, the judgment held: “The stand of the Respon-dents that a request was made to the Ministry of Defense on 13.04.2009 requesting for grant of dispensation to Vice Admiral Chopra, i.e., Respondent No. 2, to review ACRs of the officers who he had not observed for three months and that the MOD vide its letter dated 23.04.2009 acceded to the request and directed the Department that review of ACRs … is again bereft of merit and contrary to the record.

“The record shows that though such dispensation was sought by the CGHQ on 13th April, 2009, it was categorically refused by the MoD vide its communication dated 23rd April, 2009, and the directions issued by the Ministry of Defense in this regard were that:- ‘Review of ACRs by the officer who has not observed the CG Officers for three months may be completed as per provisions of CGO 04/2005.’ (MoD ID No. 472/D (CG-R)/09 dated 23rd April, 2009).”

SPOILING ACR

Coming down heavily on the manipulation of merits, the judgment held: “… we find that the Petitioner (Raghuvanshi) has succeeded in establishing his case of selective change of ACR criteria to manipulate merit by the Respondents smacking of arbitrariness. The Petitioner has also succeeded in establishing that the review of his ACR for the period 2008-09 by Respondent No. 2, then Direc-tor-general in violation of para 54 of CGO 04/2005 was to his detriment, resulting in his being punished twice over for the same incident (a minor accident)…. ”

The judges directed the respondents, MOD/ Coast Guard, to hold a fresh DPC within a six weeks time (judgment was delivered on September 4, 2014) to rectify their omission and commission. But the respondents tried to once again stall the high court’s directive by filing a review petition that was dismissed on December 19, 2014.

While the Coast Guard indulged in senseless litigations using the public exchequer, Raghuvanshi had to bear the cost of hiring lawyers and travel to and fro. Is this the way to treat an upright officer? Sadly, he is one among several others in the defense services who suffered manipulation in their promotions, leaving them bitter. How then can he, and many others like him, concentrate on securing the country’s borders?

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2 COMMENTS

  1. I also suffered humiliation, For taking up corruption and piracy issues, I was subjected to humiliation and kept as Asst Comdt for 20 years despite Hon’ble Orissa High Court order, Contempt of Court Orders of 199 and 2001. Dismissed me from service by bringing me from Malar Hospital in unconscious state on 29 Oct 2003. The entire proceedings of Coast Guard.were set aside by Honble Madras High Court by WP, CG filed WA and SLP in Honble Supreme Court on 22Apr 09. Even though. I was taken back in the service, I was not given my legitimate promotional as per Honble Supreme and Madras High Court Orders as on today. Abbas, Comdt JG Coast Guard DHQ6 Vizag

  2. Shocking to say the least but nothing unusual in Defence services. One more incident of blatant favouritism and total disregard to meritocracy.l hope & pray that DIG KPS Raghuvanshi gets justice long overdue to him at the earliest.

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