Chandigarh, 7 October 2026: A Subedar of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) is to be tried by a General Court Martial on six charges of cheating civilians of about ₹51.44 lakh, according to a charge sheet served on him in September 2026 as reported by Man Aman Singh Chhina of Indian Express. The charges remain allegations. No finding has been recorded, and the identity of the Junior Commissioned Officer has not been made public.
The officer was serving as Subedar Clerk (Inventory Management) with 304 Field Workshop Company of 671 EME Battalion, attached to Headquarters 106 Infantry Brigade. At the time of the alleged offences he was Section In-charge of the Technical Store Section of 304 Field Workshop Company.
All six charges have been framed under Section 69 of the Army Act, 1950, which makes a person subject to the Act liable to be tried by a court martial for a civil offence committed in India. The civil offence specified in the charge sheet is cheating. The alleged offences came to the notice of the competent authority on 28 September 2024. Directions for trial by General Court Martial have been endorsed by Major General N. S. Sohal, General Officer Commanding, 71 Infantry Division.
The particulars set out six separate receipts between April 2023 and February 2024:
| Period | Place, as stated | Amount alleged |
|---|---|---|
| April–May 2023 | In the field | ₹3 lakh |
| May 2023 | Guwahati | ₹15 lakh |
| August–December 2023 | Not stated | ₹5.60 lakh |
| September–December 2023 | Not stated | ₹10.13 lakh |
| August–September 2023 | Not stated | ₹3.50 lakh |
| December 2023–February 2024 | Not stated | ₹14.19 lakh |
| Total, as reported | About ₹51.44 lakh |
The six sums as published add to ₹51.42 lakh. Both reports describe the aggregate as about ₹51.44 lakh. Neither report names the civilians, states how many persons were involved, or records the representation under which the money is alleged to have been taken.
A claim that the receipts were linked to fake Army job offers is therefore not supported by the charge particulars now in the public domain and should not be stated as fact unless a further official or documentary source is produced.
A General Court Martial is the senior form of court martial under the Army Act and may try any person subject to the Act for any offence triable by court martial. The proceedings will determine whether the charges are proved. Until confirmation of any finding and sentence, the case remains at the stage of trial.
