CBI files cases against former Lt.Gen, defence official

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against two former defence officers and others for misconduct and violating the terms of lease and defence land in Pune, the agency said Wednesday.

The case has been slapped against Lt. Gen. (retd) Noble Thamburaj, the then southern army commander; S.R. Nayyar, the then defence estate officer (Pune Circle), southern command; a Pune-based builder and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act on receipt of a complaint from the defence ministry, a CBI statement said.

Both Thamburaj and Nayyar had allegedly shown favour to a Pune-based builder in the matter of property at bungalow No.8 A, Lothian Road of B-3 defence land at Pune cantonment and settled the matter out of court in spite of a verdict in the army's favour, which is gross misconduct on the part of public servants, the statement said.

"The public servants had ignored existing rules and policies; violating the terms of lease, entered into by ministry of defence and caused pecuniary advantage to Pune-based builder to the tune of Rs.46 crores without any public interest,” the statement added. 

Searches were conducted Tuesday at the residence of Thamburaj at Fatima Nagar, Pune; of Nayyar at Lulla Nagar, Kondhwa, Pune; and the office premises of the builder at Koregaon Park, Pune which led to recovery of incriminating documents.