The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has begun a preliminary inquiry into the alleged irregular installation of mobile phone towers and misappropriation of funds at the Hisar Military Station in Haryana. Among those under the CBI scrutiny is a retired Lieutenant General.
The CBI initiated the inquiry on a reference from the Defence Ministry about three years after The Hindu carried a series of reports on the alleged irregularities in the sensitive installation, which is the base headquarters for the battle formation of the Army’s 33rd Armoured Division.
As reported in January 2014, at least two functioning base transceiver stations installed by a private mobile phone service provider on the Hisar cantonment premises had come under the scanner of intelligence agencies for suspected irregularities and security implications. They were functioning since 2012, it was alleged.
Enquiries revealed that defence land could not be leased out for the installation of signal towers. As in the case of private entities, it had to be done through the Quarter Master General Branch in consultation with the Military Intelligence, following a mandatory Cabinet Committee authorisation.
Therefore, the service provider installed the towers on the chassis of heavy vehicles, calling them “cell-on-wheels”. After the Military Intelligence highlighted the security issues, an internal inquiry found that bills for power supply to the towers running into lakhs of rupees were pending. After the supply line was snapped, generator backup was being used.
The Intelligence wing found that in June 2010, the service provider had been given an approval by the Signal Regiment of Hisar Cantonment to construct three modern bus shelters on the campus.
The company, through a letter dated July 2, 2010, informed the then Commanding Officer that while constructing the bus shelters, it interacted with some jawans and families and found that its mobile network strength was not good on the campus.
The service provider proposed that it be allowed to install three “cell-on-wheels”, mentioning in the letter that Chandimadir Cantonment in Panchkula had also granted it the permission for three such towers. It is alleged that on the instructions of the then General Officer Commanding, a clearance was given to install the bus shelters and three “cell-on-wheels”.
BSNL failed to get nod
During the inquiry, the Intelligence wing found that government-owned BSNL had also sought permission to install signal towers at Hisar Station, but it did not get the approval. It had also installed a digital exchange for the Army base in 2009.
Alleging irregularities and corruption at the Hisar Station, a Colonel lodged a complaint with the Defence Ministry and the President’s Secretariat, and sought their intervention. He also cited the reports on mobile towers in his complaint which was filed under a provision mandating that if his allegations were proven wrong, he would face action.
