Army generals seek contempt proceedings against secretary,MoD

New Delhi: Two serving lieutenant generals from the Indian Army have approached the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) seeking institution of criminal contempt proceedings against the secretary, defence, ministry of defence (MoD) accusing him of "open defiance" of the Tribunal's orders.

In their pleas, Lt Generals JS Bajwa and PG Kamath have asked the AFT to initiate "appropriate criminal contempt proceedings against the named contemnors as well as their subordinate officers who are responsible for open defiance of order dated June 2 passed by the Tribunal."

In the order passed on 2 June, the Tribunal had asked the government to keep one vacancy each of corps commander vacant for the two officers but the respondents did not do so, the counsel for the two officers, SS Pandey, said.

In the petitions, the officers have asked the Tribunal to "safeguard the dignity, efficacy and the authority of the Tribunal, and to give a clear message to the respondents/contemnors for such open defiance of the order by challenging the authority of this Tribunal."

This alleged act "needs to be viewed seriously," they pleaded.

The two officers have named defence secretary, Shashikant Sharma, as the main respondent.