Ex-officer alleges ‘nuclear treason’

Writes to PM that Vice-Admiral guilty of nepotism was welcomed in Naval HQ

A Navy officer, who recently left service after proving that a Vice-Admiral manipulated the system to promote his son-in-law and in the process almost wiped out all Russian-trained nuclear submarine operators, has now written to the Prime Minister naming at least three serving officers who actively assisted in the subversion. Lieutenant-Commander S.S. Luthra has called upon the Prime Minister to deal with the conspiracy as nuclear treason.

In his case before the Armed Forces Tribunal, Lt. Commander Luthra established that Vice-Admiral P.K. Chatterjee’s efforts to promote his son-in-law resulted in the wiping out of an almost entire generation of Russian-trained nuclear submarine operators of India out of service.

In a rare judgment, the Principal Bench of the tribunal on July 31 ruled against Vice-Admiral Chatterjee, former Inspector-General, Nuclear Safety, and the Navy, and said it was disturbed by the fact that the force “does not have an in-built system” to prevent nepotism. The Bench imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh on the Vice-Admiral.

Lt. Commander Luthra was a nuclear reactor operator aboard INS Chakra, the nuclear submarine India leased from Russia in 2010.

Still gets backing

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Lt. Commander Luthra said that despite the court order, the Navy “continues to assist and support the accused rather than the victim”.

Vice-Admiral Chatterjee, accompanied by a civilian, visited the Naval headquarters last week and was hosted in the office of the Inspector-General, Nuclear Safety, the letter said. “During his visit, he interviewed various officers who had rendered reports on me and held discussions with senior officers of the personnel branch. He was also shown various documentation, ACRs and board proceedings which are of confidential nature and not supposed to be shown to a retired officer, more so to a civilian,” it said.

Lt. Commander Luthra has listed at least three serving officers who have in the past assisted the Vice-Admiral in manipulating the rankings. Calling it nuclear safety treason, the retired commander alleged: “The greed for personal gains by a few senior officers has led to systematic failure of the Naval system that has not only jeopardised the nuclear safety of Indian nuclear submarines but has caused a huge loss to the nation.