Army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor at the news conference in Delhi on Thursday. Picture by Prem Singh

New Delhi, Jan. 14: Army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor today admitted he was concerned about keeping the morale of his soldiers high after a probe found four generals culpable for unethical links with a Siliguri-based realtor.

Tomorrow is the 62nd Army Day, when the force demonstrates its might, showcases its fighting arms and soldiers and presents itself as the ultimate saviour should the country be in distress.

But the shadow of the Sukna land-transfer row has singed the very top in army headquarters with the chief having been forced to initiate punishment proceedings against his senior-most aide, military secretary Lt Gen. Avadesh Prakash.

“I will take all measures to ensure that the image of the Indian Army keeps high. Media need to be objective when issues of national security and national interest are involved,” the chief said.

The army’s image was important because “in other organisations, (employees are) given remuneration but here in the army, we demand blood at the time of going into action and so our culture and ethos have to be at a high level.”

Referring to the row on his own before taking questions from the media, Gen. Kapoor said he was now in the position of a judge who was examining a case and commenting in public would be tantamount to pre-judging the case.

“I have received inputs from the court of inquiry, recommendations of the Eastern Army Commander and legal advice from the adjutant general.

“After due deliberation and analysis, a set of directions has been issued. As the disciplinary proceedings are on, it will not be proper for me to comment. You have to bear in mind that the case was started by the army itself. The armed forces take expeditious and judicious action. It is part of my responsibility to give justice that is fair depending on the facts and merits of the case,” he said.

But the general did say that he was worried about the army’s image and took a question on whether the row had led to a rift between him and the Eastern Army Commander, Lt Gen. V.K. Singh, who is likely to be his successor.

There cannot be a rift, he said, because the armed forces are hierarchical. There cannot be a rift between a junior and his commanding officer like “there can be one between two classmates”, he said.

The Eastern Army Commander had recommended the termination of services of the military secretary after the court of inquiry convened by him described the chief’s aide as an “influencing factor” and detailed his actions. The army chief has so far asked the military secretary, Lt Gen. Avadhesh Prakash, to explain himself. Gen. Prakash is currently on leave. He is due to retire on January 31.

Gen. Kapoor said the Indian Army was 1.1 million strong. “There will invariably be individual cases of misdemeanour, aberrations. But it is the overall perspective that matters. Such aspects dent the image but they have to be seen as aberrations that have to be corrected to maintain the image.”

Gen. Kapoor said he would deliver “justice that is not swayed by extraneous considerations be it personal bias or media pressure or whatever”. Action will be taken in accordance with the Army Act 1950 and the army rules.