Assam Rifles likely to get new DG soon

The post has been lying vacant since February after incumbent Lt Gen Rameshwar Roy was repatriated to the Army by the Home Ministry.

Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, presently posted at the Strategic Forces Command here, will be taking over the force at a time when it is hit by a series of allegations of corruption including misuse of funds.

An audit has reportedly suggested misuse of discretionary funds meant for the welfare of its personnel by the director general.

The funds were allegedly used to present gifts to the top officials of the home ministry, Army and personal guests of top brass of the force.

The office had fallen vacant after the Army during Gen V K Singh's tenure asked the Home Ministry to repatriate Lt Gen Roy back to his parent organisation.

After he was called back, the Army had sent a panel of three officers including present Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen A K Chaudhary for the appointment to the Home Ministry without taking the consent of the Defence Ministry.

The Defence Ministry had then asked the Home Ministry to stop the appointments process.

The Shillong headquartered Assam Rifles guarding the 1,648-km long Indo-Myanmar border and fighting insurgency in the northeast, is administratively under the Home Ministry while its operational control lies with the Defence Ministry.

After Lt Gen Roy's departure, second-in-command Maj Gen R K Lakhanpal is officiating as the Director General of the country's oldest paramilitary force.

Following an inquiry into the allegations of Rs 23,000 misuse of regimental funds, the Home Ministry had found nothing against Lt Gen Roy and concluded that the complaint was baseless and mala fide.