New Delhi Jan. 11: The army chief’s top aide, military secretary Lt General Avadesh Prakash, has been asked to explain his involvement in a north Bengal land scam.

Disciplinary or administrative action is being taken against three other generals.

A court of inquiry convened by the eastern army commander in Calcutta had recommended the dismissal of the military secretary.

The Telegraph had reported the rift between the army chief and the eastern army commander, who may be the next chief, on this issue.

In comparison to that recommendation, the action taken against Lt Gen. Avadesh Prakash so far is mild.

Lt Gen. Prakash is due to retire on January 31. Showcause notices usually give upto a month’s time for the accused to respond.

The decision of the army chief, General Deepak Kapoor (to seek an explanation), and the recommendations of the eastern army commander, Lt General V.K. Singh, who wanted the military secretary dismissed, are starkly contrasting.

The chief is also understood to have directed the adjutant general, Lt General Mukesh Sabharwal, to initiate disciplinary and/or administrative action against Lt Gen P.K. Rath, Lt Gen. Ramesh Halgali and Maj. Gen. P. Sen.

Disciplinary action can lead to court marshal. Administrative action can lead to a sack (termination of service) or a censure.

Lt Gen Halgali is the commander of the 11 Corps based in Jalandhar. He was in the 33 Corps in Sukna, North Bengal, before his current posting.

Lt Gen. Rath was the 33 Corps commander and deputy army chief designate, but his appointment was cancelled. Maj. Gen. Sen was with the 33 Corps as a brigadier.

The court of inquiry in Calcutta found prima facie evidence that military secretary Prakash was close to a Siliguri-based realtor, Dilip Agarwal. The military secretary had allegedly used his office to get Agarwal a no-objection certificate to build a Rs 300-crore school on land adjacent to the Sukna military station.

Army chief Kapoor is scheduled to accompany defence minister A.K. Antony to border sectors in Jammu tomorrow.

The defence minister had asked for a separate report from the defence secretary on the Sukna land scam.