Lt Gen P K Rath, former Deputy Chief of Army Staff-designate, was on Friday found guilty by an Army court martial in the Sukna land scam, becoming the highest ranking serving officer to be convicted for corruption.
The Armed Forces Tribunal on Wednesday refused to grant interim relief to Lt Gen P K Rath seeking a stay on the summary of evidence proceedings against him in the Rs 300 crore Sukna land scam case.
A division bench headed by Justice Geeta Mittal asked the army officer to approach the Armed Forces Tribunal to challenge the proceedings against him.
An Army court martial on Saturday ordered a two-year seniority loss, 15 years of loss of service for pension and severe reprimand for Lt Gen P K Rath, a day after finding him guilty in Sukna land scam.
Lt Gen P K Rath, who is facing court martial in the Sukna land scam case, has alleged in the Delhi high court that there was mala fide intention as the Eastern Command had initiated action against him only after he was designated the Deputy Chief of Army.
Lt Gen P K Rath, who has been indicted along with former Military Secretary Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash in the Sukna land scam in Darjeeling, on Thursday approached the Delhi High Court against his court-martial order.
Virtually indicting former Army chief and Union Minister Gen V K Singh, the Armed Forces Tribunal on Friday quashed the court martial of Lt Gen P K Rath who was punished for his alleged role in a land dealing in West Bengal.