Visakhapatnam, April 4 (IANS) The Indian government Wednesday denied as ‘baseless and incorrect’ a media report that in January two key army units had suspiciously moved closer to the capital from their bases outside, without notifying the defence ministry.
‘The report is baseless and incorrect. The points raised in the report have already been clarified by the army. Such exercises are conducted by the army from time to time,’ defence ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar told IANS on the sidelines of a naval function in Visakhapatnam.
The Indian Express newspaper in a front page report Wednesday said the Hisar-based Mechanised Infantry and elements from a unit of the airborne 50 Para Brigade based in Agra had moved towards the capital. It said the movement took place on the night of Jan 16, without following the standard operating procedure of informing the defence ministry in advance.
Since this happened around the time when army chief Gen. V.K. Singh was waging a judicial battle against the government over his age row, it created unease and suspicion in the corridors of power in Delhi.
The media report itself quoted Kar as saying, ‘Such reports are completely baseless and we categorically deny the same.’
