Army launches 'in-house verification' of Ayub's charge

NEW DELHI: The army has launched an "in-house verification" of the charge made by former Pakistan foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan that an Indian brigadier had sold 1965 war plans to Pakistan for Rs 20,000, Army Chief Gen J J Singh said on Wednesday.

"Government has already directed an investigation. The army is doing an in-house verification on whether there is any authenticity or truth in the allegation," he said.

Observing that it would not be correct to jump to any conclusion, he said "We will wait for more information to come from the author if he has made the allegation".

"It is not correct to jump to conclusions or to speculate on a matter like this", the army chief said.

Though senior defence officials said the claims appeared "far-fetched" as Gohar Ayub is a known hawk in Pakistan, investigations were being carried on the directions of Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee to check the veracity of the claim and, if true, to identify the officer.

Gen Singh had on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting at the army headquarters here along with director of general military operations Lt Gen Madan Gopal and director of general military intelligence Lt Gen Deepak Summanwar.