Adm Prakash offered to step down after War Room leak

Bhopal, Aug 8 (UNI) Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash today said he had offered to resign immediately after his relative's name surfaced in connection with the Navy War Room leak but the government turned it down.

''It is unfortunate that Ravishankar is my relative but I have no communication with him any longer,'' he told reporters here in connection with the issue of encouraging Ravishankar to cooperate in the inquiry.

Adm Prakash was in the Madhya Pradesh capital to inaugurate India's first National Sailing School.

Pointing out that comprehensive arrangements were in place for checking military espionage, the officer added that treachery had no permanent cure.

''The other two service chiefs have also taken a very serious view of the War Room leak and the task of identifying traitors in the Indian Armed Forces has begun,'' he disclosed.

UNI AG-AC MSJ PC1218