A probe by the Indian Navy has determined that a senior officer posted in Russia had relations with a woman there but it is yet to establish whether the contact influenced the final price tag on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (Admiral Gorshkov).
“The Navy has completed one part of its investigation and they have started the second part…the particular man had some relations with the other side…a lady. Let the Navy complete the investigation,” Mr. Antony said here after inaugurating the Unified Commanders' Conference.
The officer, identified as Commodore Sukhjinder Singh, was in charge of the aircraft carrier refit project in Russia between 2005 and 2007. He was also part of the cost negotiation committee that firmed up a revised price of $ 2.34 billion.
Mr. Antony said he has asked the Navy to speed up the probe and that a decision will be taken as soon as it is complete. On Thursday, the Navy submitted its Board of Inquiry report into the episode that began with its receiving a set of “objectionable” photographs of the officer along with the Russian woman.
Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma is now scrutinising the report to recommend a suitable punishment to be awarded to the officer to the Defence Ministry.
After his posting in Russia, Cdr. Singh was posted back to India as the Principal Director of Aircraft Carrier Project before he was transferred to the Directorate General of Quality Assurance in the capital late last year.
