Retd Maj Gen denies dharna account, claims being ''victimised''

ew Delhi, Sep 9 (UNI) An Army Officer, charged with holding a dharna at the Army Headquarters to protest against denial of promotion to Lt General and consequent retirement, today termed these reports ''baseless and defamatory.'' Maj Gen V C Jain, who retired on August 31 as the Addl Director General (Movements), was charged with entering the Sena Bhawan last Monday, along with his lawyer, and refusing all requests to leave the place.

According to the reports, he had only left the premises after a long-drawn argument, during which it was also pointed out that his act, in entering the restricted access installation, with his lawyer, amounted to unauthorised entry.

Terming these reports ''totally false and baseless,'' Maj Gen Jain claimed they were a ''deliberate part of a ploy to tarnish his public image, malign and defame him baselessly... an intentional false canard being spread by some authorities who are inimical to his legal and just rights and also to spoil his legal case'' pending in the High Court.

He clarified that he had visited his Sena Bhawan office on September 3 only to bid farewell to his colleagues and collect his belongings as he could not do that on August 31 -- the date of his retirement --because of his ''mental involvement with his case in the Delhi High Court.'' The officer also noted that he had no lawyer or anyone else with him, he had not been contacted by any senior officer and told to leave the place, and during his visit, he had neither signed nor seen any official mail or file.

The two-star general had been empanelled in the list for promotion to the higher rank but was not considered as there was no vacancy for a Lt General. Among the list, Maj Gen K P D Samanta -- who was senior to Maj Gen Jain -- was promoted to three-star rank and appointed the Director General of the Rashtriya Rifles. He replaces Lt Gen A K Saini, who retired on August 31.

Maj Gen Jain had filed a petition in the High Court on the date of his retirement, but it had refused him an interim stay order and set September 24 for the hearing of the case. In his petition, he contended that an officer junior to him had been posted as Lt Gen, thus depriving him of his chance.

UNI