Captain caught selling diesel from army stock

SHIMLA - An Indian army officer has been caught red-handed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for selling diesel from the Army’s stocks in Himachal Pradesh, a CBI official said Saturday.

Capt. Vikalp Purohit of the General Reserve Engineering Force - a wing of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and posted at Koksar in Lahaul and Spiti district, was caught red-handed Friday by a team of the CBI posing as decoy customers, CBI Superintendent of Police R. Upasak told IANS.

The diesel was meant for the BRO.

“Two decoy customers, who projected themselves as contractors of the public works department, entered negotiations with the accused regarding the bulk purchase of the fuel. They also bargained the price and later caught him,” Upasak said.

“We have information that some Army officials are selling the diesel meant for the forces,” he said.

Sources in the police said the CBI team was on lookout for the Army officials for the past few days. It also visited Manali in Kullu district and Keylong, district headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti.

“BRO authorities in Manali and Shimla have been informed about the incident,” he said, adding Purohit has been summoned to the CBI office here.

The BRO plays an important role in maintaining roads in the country.

In Himachal Pradesh, the BRO’s Project Deepak maintains a 222-km stretch between Manali and Sarchu, part of the 475-km Manali-Leh National Highway-21 that passes through the Rohtang Pass and Koksar.