The new Army Chief, General Bikram Singh, has lifted the discipline and vigilance (DV) ban imposed on Lt. General Dalbir Singh Suhag, paving the way for his promotion and appointment as Eastern Army Commander.
Lt. Gen. Suhag, 3 Corps Commander, was slapped the DV ban and served a show-cause by the then Army Chief, General V.K. Singh, in the last week of May. General Bikram Singh reversed the decision of his predecessor within a week of his taking over as the Army Chief. Lt. Gen. Suhag is in line to head the Army in 2014 after the retirement of General Bikram Singh.
He was placed under DV ban on charges of “abdicating responsibility” in handling an intelligence and surveillance unit in Assam which was under his command for what was dubbed as a “botched-up intelligence operation.”
The new Army Chief took the decision after following due process, informed sources in the Army said here on Thursday.
The 3 Corps Commander is now eligible for promotion and the post of Eastern Commander had fallen vacant after Gen. Bikram Singh took over as Army Chief on June 1.
Lt. Gen. Suhag's promotion was under consideration by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. He was issued a show-cause on May 19 and he sent in his reply on May 31, the day when General V.K. Singh retired.
Soon after taking over as Army Chief, General Bikram Singh made it clear that nothing would be brushed under the carpet and all issues affecting the top echelons would be settled, indicating that the days of factional fights and fissures in the Army would be over soon.
