Panag is being replaced by P C Bhardawaj, who is currently heading the Leh-based 14 Corps. In a separate move, Lt Gen A K Singh, who is commanding the Army’s Strike Corps and is slated to take over as the next Army Chief, has been asked to take over as the Eastern Army Commander from Lt Gen J S Jamwal, who is due to retire soon.

The change of command at the Directorate of Ceremonial, Welfare and Discipline too is being attributed to regular administrative needs. “The Director General Artillery is due to retire and Lt Gen Koshy, being the senior-most artillery officer, has been moved there,” the Army officer said.

While the Army’s internal inquiry has cleared all senior officers at the directorate and said the racket was carried out entirely by a Lance Naik, the Defence Ministry handed over the case to the CBI for a thorough inquiry last month.

An FIR has already been filed against Brigadier H P S Bedi—the Deputy Director General of the Directorate—the wife of a Lt Colonel posted in the directorate and the main accused, Lance Naik Suresh Babu. Since then, Bedi has been removed from his post and has been attached to the Delhi Sub Area till the CBI completes its probe.

The Defence Ministry earlier took a strong stance for thoroughly probing the case and fixing responsibility. In a forceful statement last month, Defence Minister A K Antony had indicated that even top heads would roll to set ‘an example’ among the armed forces if their involvement was proved. “We must set an example to ensure that this sort of thing doesn’t happen again. Nobody who is guilty will be spared,” the minister had said.