HC notices to Naval chief, Defence secy

HC notices to Naval chief, Defence secy
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 17: The Union Defence Secretary and the Chief of Naval Staff were today issued notices by the Delhi High Court following a petition by Rear Admiral Suhas V Purohit, accusing the authorities of withholding his promotion since October 1997 on ``frivolous grounds.''

While admitting the petition, Justice N G Nandi asked the respondents to clarify their stand on the dispute within 10 weeks. Purohit, in his 350-page petition moved through a battery of advocates headed by former Additional Solicitor General K T S Tulsi today, said he had not been promoted to the next higher rank of Vice-Admiral despite the fact that the Promotion Board had cleared him for such a promotion way back in October 27, 1997.

The petitioner also challenged the reference of some of the frivolous and anonymous complaints filed against him before the CBI, the Prime Minister's Office and the Union Defence Ministry.