Army asks Major to reimburse entire training cost

Major Vikas Kumar of Corps of Signals here was relieved by the army in November last year to marry his 29-year-old girlfriend, on condition that he refunds the entire cost of his training to the Indian Military Academy and furnishes his marriage certificate.

According to the Army, he has to pay around Rs 16 lakh for the training, which Major Vikas Kumar says is "incorrect", a source close to him who did not wish to be quoted told PTI.

"There is a service liability clause under which he has to serve the Army for five years before he can be relieved and the Major has already served that period," the source said.

"The Major has written to Army officials asking them to clarify on this and specify the correct amount. He is yet to get a reply from the Army," the source said.

Major Vikas Kumar plans to get married once he gets the reply from the Army and settles the issue, Army sources said.

The decision to accept his resignation was taken by the Army on November 22, a day after Karnataka High Court rapped it for repeatedly contesting the case despite two different benches ruling in his favour.

The Army conveyed to the Court its decision to conditionally accept Kumar's resignation during hearing of the contempt petition filed by him before the division bench headed by Justice D V Shylendra Kumar in December.

Before the court's intervention, the Army did not consider Kumar's application, saying the woman had not given consent to take up Indian citizenship and that the Major might end up being relieved without terminal benefit.