An Army Court of Inquiry has indicted 27 Army officers for illegal sale of weapons for private use and recommended disciplinary proceedings against them.
The case had come to light after a Public Interest Litigation in Rajasthan High Court alleged that non-service pattern weapons, bought by the officers for personal use from the Ordinance Factory in Jabalpur, were being sold off to civilians at a premium by these officers, Army sources said here.
The Army ordered a Court of Inquiry under the then South Western Commander Lt Gen C K S Sabu to probe the allegations. They said if found guilty the officers in the rank of
Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels may also face the prospect of being tried by a General Court Martial. Summary of Evidence proceedings have also been completed in some of the cases.
During these investigations, the Army also came across cases of sale of weapons procured by officers during their posting in Bhutan and a probe was ordered for it separately, the sources said.
In 2009, the Army had imposed a ban on import of firearms and ammunition into India by officers going on posting to Bhutan.
