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AR ‘whistleblower’ put under ‘house arrest’ allegedly for exposing corruption

Assistant Commandant Om Dutt Sharma
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Om Dutt Sharma, who was the 2nd- in-Command (21C), HQ 22 Sector Assam Rifles, Molaichang, Senapati, Manipur, at the time, had filed the Complaint Petition with the MHRC alleging that “DIG and Ex- Officio-Commandant of HQ 22 Sector Assam Rifles forcibly confined me and did not permit me to go to the Specialist for further treatment, which is violation of my human rights.”

TFM Desk

An officer serving as Second In Command of the 46th Assam Rifles has been put under house arrest allegedly for exposing corruption in the higher rankings of Indian Army. 

After joining the AR as a Jawan (Clerk) in 1992, Om Dutt Sharma (51) S/o (L) Tejram Sharma of Ballabgarh, Faridabad, Haryana, was promoted to Assistant Commandant in 2006 after completing one-year training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. 

He has written a complaint letter to the President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Home Minister, National Human Rights Commission, Chief Vigilance Commissioner, amongst others. 

According to reports, the General Assam Rifles Court (GARC) has initiated a proceeding against him on April 1, 2021. Due to his back problems emanating from some problems in his spinal cord, he was unable to attend it completely. But he attended it on April 6 and 7 despite being on a wheelchair. 

On April 7, his laptop was handed over to him but restricted to use it with internet connections. And the proceeding was adjourned till April 26. 

Om Dutt alleged that Director General of Assam Rifles, Lieutenant General Sukhdeep Sangwan and Indian Army officers posted at AR were involved in financial fraud and corruption of an amount of the government to the tune of Rs 100 crore, amongst others. 

A written complaint was also made to the Officer In-charge of the Haflong Police Station, Dima Hasao district, Assam, on June 12, 2020. It was allegedly tha Indian Army officers who were posted at AR, were taking deputation allowances. According to Om Dutt, he got the information through the Right to Information reply. 

The Haflong PS lodged the case as FIR number 79 of 2020 under IPC Section 420/467/471/506/34 on July 7, 2020. 

For his actions, Om Dutt was allegedly discharged from the Army Hospital at Headquarter IGAR (South), Mantripukhri, despite his health complications. He was then taken to Jwalamukhi in an ambulance and finally shifted to 46th Assam Rifles Headquarter, Aizawl, Mizoram. 

According to Om Dutt, he was kept there under “close home arrest” guarded by armed personnel between April 4 and 7. Although he was allowed to move outside his room from April 8, he was not allowed to move outside without the permission of the concerned Commandant. He also alleged that he was physically and mentally harassed. 

Om Dutt has also filed a complaint to the Manipur Human Rights Commission in March, 2021. Director General of Police of Manipur is the respondent of the petition. 

The Indian Army also approached the Manipur Human Rights Commission. 

Manipur Human Rights Commission had issued a directive to the Director General of Police, Manipur asking him to make an enquiry into the complaint of Om Dutt Sharma, so as to enable the commission to take appropriate action.

Om Dutt Sharma, who was the 2nd- in-Command (21C), HQ 22 Sector Assam Rifles, Molaichang, Senapati, Manipur, at the time, had filed the Complaint Petition with the MHRC alleging that “DIG and Ex- Officio-Commandant of HQ 22 Sector Assam Rifles forcibly confined me and did not permit me to go to the Specialist for further treatment, which is violation of my human rights.”

He also claimed, “I was allowed to go to the Specialist only after his wife approached through Social Media and requested for my treatment.”

Seeking the intervention of the MHRC, Om Dutt Sharma claimed that he was a whistleblower and had reported many cases of high-level corruption and other illegal activities in Assam Rifles. He alleged that his life and service is under severe threat.  

The complainant who was having severe lower back pain was getting treatment in ARMH at HQ IGAR (South) at Mantripukhri (Imphal).

A case was registered as MHRC Complaint Case under Section 12 of the PHR Act.

“Director General of Police, Manipur is required to make the enquiry and same be submitted before this Commission on or before 31.03.2021,” said acting chairperson of MHRC Khaidem Mani in his order dated March 12, 2021.

Copy of the proceeding along with a copy of the Complaint Petition was also sent to the DGP, Manipur for necessary action. 

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