Pune:
Lieutenant General Nobel Thamubraj, the former vice chief of the Army and former Defence Estates Officer, Pune, SR Nayyar have been raided in connection with a land scam in Pune.
Officials from the CBI visited their homes in Pune this morning. Cases against them now include charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal misconduct.
Both officers allegedly played lead roles in violating the terms of lease of a one-acre plot of Army land in the Pune cantonment area to Kalpataru Builders.
Nobel Thamburaj was Southern Army Commander before becoming Vice Chief of Army Staff. He retired in 2010. The CBI says that Nobel Thamburaj and SR Nayyar sanctioned a deal skewed in favour of the real estate developers, costing the Army Rs 46 crore.
Kalpataru Builders are involved in another land scam in Mumbai. According to the CBI, in 2007, three acres of land in Kandivali West next to an Army Ordnance Depot was used by by Kalpatru Builders to construct a multi-storied building. Army officials said the mandatory No objection Certificate was not taken from the authorities concerned. The building also compromised the Army's security. The Army believes that a network of officers colluded to profit from underhand arrangement.