A Colonel of the Army Service Corps (ASC), who once led a battalion in Ladakh, has been sentenced to six years of rigorous imprisonment and removed from service after being found guilty of corruption.

Colonel Vikas Pandey, the former commander of the 503 ASC Battalion under the 3 Infantry Division in Ladakh, was convicted on all seven charges of fraud and corruption by a Summary General Court Martial (SGCM) held in Chandigarh.

The trial, which began on February 16 and ended late on August 16 at N Area, Chandigarh, was overseen by a Brigadier with three Colonels as members. Army sources said Colonel Pandey had been recommended for the prestigious Higher Command course when “a pseudo-anonymous complaint was made against him about financial irregularities.”

Details of the Charges

After a Court of Inquiry and a Summary of Evidence, the Colonel faced trial under one count of intent to defraud under Section 52(f) of the Army Act and six charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

It was alleged that while serving as the Commanding Officer of the ASC Battalion, he opened, managed, and closed a bank account named “Regimental Fund Account” at YES Bank, Leh Branch, using his official appointment and battalion stamps.

He was accused of “intentionally enriching himself illicitly” between August 10, 2020, and September 20, 2021, by receiving Rs 63,66,096 in the account. Other charges included taking Rs 4 lakh in Ladakh, buying a flat in Jaipur

 for Rs 32,60,000 in his wife’s name, and purchasing a BMW for Rs 48,48,258, both payments “disproportionate to his known sources of income.”

He was also charged with receiving Rs 21 lakh in cash during his tenure as Commanding Officer. The SGCM found him guilty on all charges.

The Colonel’s sentence will be confirmed by higher Army authorities. He had earlier approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which said the final decision would depend on the petition he filed with the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT).

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