Ex-Navy chief's brother moved out from Naval headquarters

Vice Admiral Bimal Kumar Verma was brought in the key post of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Information Warfare and Operations) by his elder brother about a couple of months ago but now he has been moved out from there, Navy sources told PTI here.

The step taken by the Navy Chief has also put to rest speculation about any possible attempt to alter the line of succession in the force, they said.

Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, expected to head the Navy around six years down the line, has been brought in as the new ACNS (IW/OPS), they said.

Vice Admiral Verma has been made in-charge of a special project and is likely to be posted to the Vishakhapatnam-based Eastern Command in the near future.

The sources said Luthra is also seen to be close to the present Navy Chief Admiral D K Joshi and the two officers have worked closely in their last appointments in the Western Naval Command in Mumbai.

While Admiral Joshi was the Commander of the Western Naval Command, Luthra was the western fleet commander there.

After Vice Admiral Bimal Kumar Verma was brought in here at the Naval Headquarters in the South Block, it was being speculated that he could also be a possible contender for the top post in coming years.