The probe into a controversial land deal in Darjeeling that has brought some of the seniormost officers of the Army under the scanner has taken a more serious turn with investigations now focusing on a forged document in Army records that was used to grant ‘no-objection’ certificates (NOCs) for transfer of land.

While a formal Court of Inquiry (CoI) has now been ordered by the Army into the matter, sources said the key point being investigated is a forged document in official records that gave security clearance for land near the 33 HQ in Sukna to be transferred to an institution posing as an affiliate of Mayo College.

Defence Minster A K Antony has said the charges have been taken seriously and if proved, ‘even the seniormost people’ will not be spared. “Any aberration, we will take it seriously,” he said.

Sources said the scope of investigation might be widened due to the charges of forgery. After the land, which lies adjacent to the Army cantonment and near a helipad, was put up for sale a few years back, the Army had objected to the transfer on security grounds and had refused to grant it an NOC as required under law.

However, investigations have now revealed that the original document refusing permission had been replaced in Army records by a forged document that granted permission for transfer of land. It is unclear when the original document was switched with the forged one.

The Army confirmed that a formal CoI had been ordered but said it was not directed against any particular individuals. “It is the Army station at Sukna in Darjeeling that gave the NOC. Its inquiry is not directed against any individual officer, be it Lt Gen P K Rath or Lt Gen Avadhesh Prakash. The probe has been initiated to find out the lapses in procedure,” a senior Army officer said.

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