President Draupadi Murmu has ordered the immediate dismissal of an Indian Army Major associated with the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) unit. This decision came after the Major was found guilty of multiple security lapses during an Army inquiry.
Relying on Section 18 of the Army Act, 1950, combined with Article 310 of the Constitution, the President made the decision. This announcement was made official on September 15 and subsequently relayed at the SFC Unit in North India, where the Major was positioned.
Since March 2022, the Major’s conduct has been under scrutiny. An investigation board was established to probe allegations against the officer for compromising national security. The board had the authority from the Strategic Forces Command to inspect digital devices and conduct an initial assessment of the Major’s involvement in dubious activities, including potential security breaches, classified information leakage, unusual financial activities, and suspected espionage.
Inside sources revealed that the Major had stored confidential documents on his electronic devices, a clear violation of Army protocols. Additionally, he was allegedly communicating with an agent from Pakistani intelligence via social media.
The Major’s associations with other high-ranking Army officials also came under the scanner, particularly his involvement in a WhatsApp group named ‘Patiala Peg’. He was later summoned as a witness in a related inquiry against some of these officers.
In a related development, the Army has reportedly served a show cause notice to both a Brigadier and a Lieutenant Colonel. This is in relation to violations of social media guidelines and their participation in a WhatsApp group where inappropriate content was circulated.
In July 2022, The Indian Express disclosed that four Army officers were under investigation for their involvement in the ‘Patiala Peg’ WhatsApp group. Suspicion arose that this group might have been accessed by a Pakistani Intelligence Operative, leading to concerns about potential sharing of classified military data.
