J&K Council issues fresh summons to Army ex-chief

A privilege committee of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council on Thursday issued fresh summons to former Army chief Gen (Retd) V K Singh after he failed to appear before the panel to clarify his remarks on the Army’s alleged funding to Jammu and Kashmir politicians that raised a hue and cry across the state.

The summons was issued through the director-general of Police, Haryana, seeking his personal appearance on January 22. Sources told Deccan Herald that a copy of the summons to the former army chief has also been sent to the Speaker of the Haryana Legislative Assembly.

An aide of Gen Singh, however, claimed that the former Army chief had written to the committee, which did not accept his reply and asked him to appear before it in person. Col U B Singh, a friend of the former Army chief, told reporters outside the Legislative Council in Jammu that Singh had sent a proper reply to the committee. “But they have not taken it into consideration and refused to accept it,” he said.

Devender Singh Rana, one of the members of the committee, contradicted Col Singh’s assertions that a reply has been sent to the committee. “We have not received any reply as yet,” he said.

Rana said they have decided to issue summons to Gen Singh through the Haryana DGP to appear before the committee on January 22 at 2:30 pm.

Sources said the committee had invited the law secretary besides the advocate general to give their legal opinion on the issue.

“Some members of the privilege committee were of the opinion that a non bailable warrant be issued against the former Army chief for non-appearance,” they said.

MLCs of the ruling National Conference Davendar Singh Rana, Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy and Minister Ajay Sadhotra had moved the breach of privilege motion in the House in October.