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Legal tangle may force govt to shift deputy naval chief Harinder Singh

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The government's hint that it would review the recent appointment of the deputy naval chief, vice-admiral Harinder Singh, emanates from its apprehension of legal complications, top officials of the ministry of defence said today.

Asked by this correspondent to elaborate, they pointed out that the MoD was aware of the move to file a public interest litigation against the deputy naval chief's appointment which could possibly result in legal complications, to the government's "acute embarrassment". They said the government had been advised by a battery of lawyers on the prickly issue, following which Defence Minister George Fernandes had hastily hit upon the idea of restructuring the MoD. Subsequently, the newly-appointed naval chief, Admiral Sushil Kumar said the government would "review afresh" Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh's appointment as the deputy naval chief.

According to these officials, the entire exercise had been masterminded by the defence minister in order to minimise the possible embarrassment which could come if the apex court gave an adverse verdict to Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh's appointment.

It is learnt that some "aggrieved parties" in Calcutta are seeking legal direction against the deputy naval chief's appointment and the government, especially the defence minister, has got wind of it. "Hence nobody can now say who is going to be our deputy naval chief a couple of months from now," the officials pointed out.

The officials recalled that Fernandes had gone to great lengths to ensure that Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh was posted in Delhi while the dismissed naval chief wanted Vice-Admiral Madanjit Singh to be his DNC. Vishnu Bhagwat finally lost his job when he even turned down the government's recommendation to accept a compromise formula. Thereafter, Admiral Sushil Kumar was appointed as the naval chief while Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh was appointed the deputy naval chief.

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