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Top DRDO Scientist Accused of Sexual Harassment – The New Indian Express

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Author: Pradip R Sagar

Published Date: Mar 8, 2015 6:00 AM

Last Updated: Mar 8, 2015 5:10 AM

A 25­ years­ old Junior Research Fellow has filed a complaint against D Majumdar, additional director of DIPAS, of making sexual advances.

NEW DELHI: After well­ known environmental scientist Dr R K Pachauri faces allegations of sexual harassment by his junior woman colleague, a senior scientist of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO),the country’s premier defence research body, too is facing similar charges by a junior researcher.

A 25 ­year ­old Junior Research Fellow has accused 59­ year­ old Dr D Majumdar, the additional director of the DRDO’s Delhi ­based Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), of sexually harassing her. Taking cognizance of the woman’s complaint, Majumdar has been shunted out in ‘public interest’ following the recommendations of a high ­level committee, which was set up by the DRDO, to look into the allegations

According to official sources, the woman, who joined DIPAS in December last year, filed a complaint with the head of the organisation in February. In her complaint to Dr Shashi Bala Singh, Director, DIPAS, the woman accused Majumdar of making sexual advances towards her and she also sought her transfer from the particular group of Ergonomics. The woman alleged that Majumdar used to sexually harass her on his office premises. Over 40 other fellow researchers also came in support of the woman complainant and gave their representation against Majumdar. Subsequently her complaint was forwarded to the DRDO headquarters and a five­ member committee headed by Hina Gokhale, Director HRD of the DRDO, was formed to look into the allegations, as per the Vishakha Guidelines formulated by the Supreme Court.

Majumdar, who is retiring by the end of 2015, has been transferred to a Gwalior ­based laboratory where he has been directed to report by March 16. When contacted, Majumdar defended himself and said that the allegation was a conspiracy. “I completely denied such allegations and it is a conspiracy to defame me. Surprisingly, hours after appearing before the committee on March 3, I received my transfer orders from the headquarters,” said Majumdar, Scientist G of the DRDO, which is equivalent to a Joint Secretary ­rank officer. While deposing before the committee, he reportedly handed over six testimonials from junior scientists in his favour.

However, the complainant didn’t comment. When contacted, Dr. Shashi Bala Singh said, “I will not be able to make any comment on it. Please contact my headquarters.”

But DRDO Spokesperson Ravi Gupta said, “We (DRDO) follows strict regulations, whenever such allegations come out in the department. Since in this matter, a committee is already constituted and looking into the matter, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on its proceedings.”

Experiment with Controversies DIPAS was recently in the news for carrying out a study for faster deployment of troops for high ­altitude operations in case of war ­like situation, which was rubbished by the Indian Army. In fact, army severely criticised the methods adopted by the DIPAS scientists to collect data sample for its study. DIPAS was set up after the Indo ­China war in 1962 with the thrust area identification of high altitude physiology, nutrition and biochemistry of human in and also with the urgent need felt for ergonomic assessment of workstations and machine interface. The laboratory carries out various researches and studies to look into the aspect of high altitude warfare.

 

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Army Tramples on Faulty DRDO Study on Siachen Deployment

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By Pradip R Sagar
Published: 02nd Nov 2014 06:06:55 AM The New Indian Express – The Sunday Standard

Vigilant Indian soldier - Siachen
Vigilant Indian soldier – Siachen

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise visit this Diwali to the world’s highest battlefield, Siachen, to applaud the Indian army troops deployed there again brought into national focus the difficulty of operating under such adverse climatic conditions.

A study by Defence Research and Development Organisation, India’s premier defence research institute, to find solutions and shorten the acclimatization period has been junked by the Army.

Keeping unforeseen events in mind, the Army wanted to reduce the pre-acclimatisation training period to faster deploy its troops to high-altitude locations in cases of emergency. And for this, the DRDO was mandated to carry out a study on how to reduce the pre-acclimatisation training period in May 2009 with budget of over `3 crore. Delhi-based Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), a wing of DRDO, carried out the study for which they selected 210 soldiers. In order to study the soldiers’ physiology changes, they were asked to stay in a make-shift chamber filled with nitrogen for intermittent periods. But the Army has rubbished the study report and criticised the methods adopted by the DIPAS scientists.

In a strongly worded four-page letter to DIPAS on 10 September, the office of the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) has raised serious objections and sought explanation on various key points related to the study including selection of troops for the study, use of multiple investigators to collect data, use of master step test as an indicator of exercise performance for high altitude and disparity in heart rate date from the same cohort at different points of the report.

DIPAS had used intermittent hypoxia study at sea level before dispatching soldiers to high-altitude locations. Explaining the terminology, a DRDO scientist said that Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT) is a test protocol usually given to the individual with reduced oxygen concentration as prevailed in high altitude for pre-acclimatising them at sea level in a normobaric hypoxic chamber, before they are deployed for high mountain warfare.

On the basis the outcome of the study, two costly normobaric hypoxic chambers were planned to be set up in Chandigarh to cater northern command and Sukhna for eastern command troops with a cost of over `10 lakh.

Reacting strongly to the samples of troops taken, that had men who had already served in high-altitude postings, the DGAFMS raised concerns on the validity of conclusions drawn from the data presented. While seeking justification for the selection of re-inductees as study subjects, the Army has said, “Current knowledge on the phenomenon of de-acclimatisation is limited. It is accepted by many experts in the field that certain physiological changes induces on exposure on high altitude may persist beyond one month of return to sea level.”

“Hence the choice of re-inductees as study subjects raises questions about the validity of date being presented, especially since the aim of the project is to extrapolate the findings to healthy soldiers being rapidly inducted to high altitude, in all probability, for the first time,” DGAFMC said in his detailed response to DIPAS study.

When contacted, DRDO spokesperson Ravi Gupta refused to comment as it is a classified matter.

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Arjun tank: CBI probes scientist for taking bribe

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Abhishek Sharan, Hindustan Times New Delhi, July 04, 2014
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has begun a criminal misconduct probe against a senior scientist who was part of a team involved in the development of India’s indigenous main battle tank Arjun, for allegedly seeking and accepting Rs. 1.5 lakh from a machinery supplier.

The agency has lodged a Preliminary Enquiry (PE), according to which the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) scientist allegedly took the money in September 2012 from the consultant of a private firm supplying a tank component — steel track links— to approve its quality after its inspection by him, said a CBI source.

“The firm had bagged the supply order from the Defence Ordinance Factory for developing assembly-forged steel track links. After the product was ready, the scientist was called for inspection,” said the source. The scientist allegedly asked for a bribe of Rs. 1.5 lakh to “give a satisfactory report”. The source said, “The scientist accepted the bribe, which amounted to criminal misconduct.”

On being contacted, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)’s spokesperson Ravi Gupta said, “ Let the law take its own course. Let the truth come out.”

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DRDO tests positive for nepotism

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dna 19.02.2014

VK Saraswat and defence minister’s former scientific advisor among accused

Pradip R Sagar @pradiprsagar

New Delhi: At least 10 top scientists of the country’s premier defence research agency, the DRDO, are accused of flouting rules and misusing their positions to recruit family members in the organisation.
Among the accused are M Natarajan, former scientific adviser to defence minister AK Antony and VK Saraswat, India’s Missile Man and former DRDO chief.
Antony was apprised of the matter in November last year
by Sameer Kumar Khare, joint secretary and chief vigilance officer (CVO) in the defence ministry.
Khare, in his report (dna has a copy), recommended “criminal action against top functionaries of DRDO for committing irregularities in the recruitment of officers/officials, including their kith and kin, in DRDO by misusing their position of power”. Based on his report, Antony handed over the investigations to the CBI in November.
Apart from Natarajan and Saraswat, charged with nepotism, the other big names in the CVO’s report are W Selvamurthy, former chief controller, R&D, Arun Kumar, former director, recruitment & assessment centre (RAC), AK Bansal, former director,AK Bansal and SM Veerabhadrappa, senior scientist.
“The brazenness with which systems and procedures have been overridden, it would not be prudent to believe that these are isolated cases,” Khare said in his report.
“The malice may have spread to wider areas hence causing to raise doubts that the integrity of the whole recruitment systems as such might have been compromised. This situation warrants a comprehensive and thorough investigation of the recruitment system, structure and cases of criminal misconducts of similar nature, including the present cases, by the CBI.”
Antony had said in November: “DRDO may be directed to put in place an appropriate recruitment system with adequate checks and balances. They may consider bringing the system under the purview of UPSC.” All recruitments were done through the UPSC till 1982, after which DRDO’s recruitment & assessment centre handled it. The ministry said DRDO could take a professional agency’s help to come up with a foolproof recruitment system.
Ravi Gupta, DRDO spokesperson, told dna that he could not comment as the CBI is investigating the matter.

Published Date: Feb 19, 2014DNA 19 FEB

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Under scanner DRDO official suspended hours before retirement

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Press Trust of India / New Delhi November 30, 2012, 20:15 –

Business Standard

A senior DRDO official, who is under scanner for his alleged role in an appointment made against the laid down procedures, was suspended hours before his retirement from service today.

The official, a senior scientist, has been suspended by the department as an inquiry is pending against him in a recruitment-related case where he allegedly recruited his own daughter in the organisation, sources said here.

“The case is sub-judice,” DRDO spokesperson Ravi Gupta said when asked about the details.
The matter had come to light after the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) recommended action against two DRDO officials for their alleged role in the case.
Following the CVC inquiry, DRDO chief V K Saraswat had sought an explanation from the officials.

The official suspended was involved in promotion and selection of scientists in the organisation.

CVC had also recommended review of the appointment of the scientist’s daughter who is now working in DRDO as a ‘Scientist C’.

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DRDO disowns chief controller, says he is retired

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DRDO claims Dr Pillai has retired even though its website shows otherwise

ABHINANDAN MISHRA New Delhi | 17th Nov 2012               Sunday Guardian

The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has refused to acknowledge that Dr Sivathanu Pillai is the chief controller of research and development in the organisation, despite the fact that Pillai is still very much a part of DRDO. Pillai’s post is regarded as the second most senior defense scientist post in the country, just after the position of Scientific Adviser to the Defense Minister.

Dr Sivathanu Pillai

His name also does not feature on the list of senior scientists who are presently serving on an extension with DRDO. Pillai, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Brahmos Aerospace, was granted his third post retirement extension last year.

When contacted, Ravi Gupta, the spokesperson of DRDO said that Pillai’s name is not on the list of senior scientists who have got extension because he has retired from DRDO after getting two extensions as no further extension is possible beyond the age of 64.

However, the DRDO telephone directory of 2012 mentions Pillai’s name and carries his designation as CC of R&D in DRDO on page number 4 and his Delhi number has been listed there. Similarly, the invitation card of National Institute of Technology, Kozhikode, that was held last month, where Dr Pillai was the chief guest, mentions his designation as CC, R&D in DRDO.

Gupta also added that Pillai’s name will be removed from DRDO’s website. However, even after three weeks of this correspondent speaking to Gupta, DRDO’s website still shows Pillai as the CC of R&D.

This mysterious disappearance of the name from the seniority list and the fact that DRDO is denying that Pillai is still a part of DRDO has raised questions about why the government is not “acknowledging” that a third extension has been given to Pillai.

Third extensions are given very rarely, if at all. This was acknowledged by Gupta too, who said that third extension beyond the age of 64 is not possible. Pillai was given his first extension in 2007 by Defence Minister A.K. Antony.

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DRDO to take action against terror suspect researcher

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Deccan Herald

New Delhi, Aug 31, 2012, (IANS) :

Taken by surprise over the arrest of one of its researchers in Karnataka for links with Pakistan-based terror outfits, India’s defence research agency Friday announced that it was initiating disciplinary action against him under government rules.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) spokesperson Ravi Gupta said the youth, identified as Aijaz Ahmed Mirza, was only a junior researcher, which is a temporary position.

Mirza was not an employee, Gupta clarified.

“This has reference to reports in certain sections of media reporting the arrest of Aijaz Ahmed Mirza. In this regard, it is intimated that Mirza had been placed as Junior Research Fellow (JRF) for the past few months, at the Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS), a DRDO laboratory,” he said.

Gupta also said that verification of Mirza’s antecedents as well as police verification was conducted in the process of his placement in the temporary position.

“He was not involved in any sensitive work and as such no sensitive/classified information has been compromised. Disciplinary action as per government of India rules is being taken,” he added.

Under the research fellowship scheme, DRDO offers opportunities to young scientists and engineers to work in its labs in the areas of basic research relevant to the laboratory.

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DRDO’s Nag missile fails in user trials

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New Delhi: The long-delayed Nag anti-tank missile project of the DRDO has suffered yet another setback as its user trials held recently failed.

In the trials held in Rajasthan in presence of senior Lt Gen-rank officers from the Army and top DRDO officials, the modified carrier of the missile called NAMICA also under-performed, DRDO sources told a news agency here.

In the trials held at the Mahajan firing range, four Nag missiles were fired of which only one could hit the target whereas the remaining failed to do so due to glitches in the equipment on-board the weapon, they said.

Army officials present at the test-firings were not happy with the performance of the missile and have asked the defence research agency to come better prepared for the trials to be held in the future, they said.

The missile has been under development as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) initiated in early 1980s and is now expected to take few more years to reach the induction stage.

Sources said the carrier of the Nag missile called NAMICA — a modified Russian-origin BMP-II personnel carrier, also failed to satisfy the users in displaying its capabilities in water during the trials.

However, the NAMICA met the requirements of the user in terms of its cross-country capabilities, they said.

When contacted for his reaction, DRDO spokesperson Ravi Gupta said the trials were a “partial success”.

“The Advanced Target Acquisition systems with both the Gunner and Commander have performed well,” he claimed.

The spokesperson said these trials have “brought out certain deviations in the engine performance of the NAMICA BMP-II and those were being assessed by the experts.”

So far, DRDO has carried out more than 50 test-launches of the missile since it started its development in the 80s.

The DRDO is also working on developing the helicopter-launched Nag missile called the HELINA and its trials are also expected to be held soon.

The Indian Army has been awaiting the induction of the Nag missile for a long time now. In absence of any indigenous system, it uses the French-origin Milan anti-tank missiles and is also in negotiations with the US for procuring a significant number of Javelin anti-tank guided missiles.

PTI

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Defence ministry report slams DRDO chief

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Defence ministry report slams DRDO chief

14 Aug 2012Hindustan Times (Bhopal)

NEW DELHI: Defence Research and Development Organisation chief VK Saraswat sanctioned R2.8 crore to a mathematical society headed by him, an audit report has revealed. The report prepared by the defence ministry’s finance wing has also dealt with issues of transparency and shortcomings in projects developed by the organisation.

Defence ministry audit questions DRDO functioning

New Delhi: An internal audit report ordered by the defence ministry raised questions over the functioning of the DRDO and the grant of Rs 2.8 crore by its chief VK Saraswat to a society under him.

The report prepared by the finance wing of the defence ministry raised several issues in its review and the transparency of the research agency with a budget of over Rs 5,000 crore, defence sources said in New Delhi.

The report has questioned the grant of Rs 2.8 crore by Saraswat to a mathematical society.

The report has also pointed out that to avoid seeking approvals from the competent financial authorities, the DRDO was splitting the sanctions for its projects, they said.

It has also cited shortcomings in the products developed by the DRDO such as the Arjun tank, which has been found to be overweight by the Army for operations in certain areas along the border.

However, the DRDO said the issues raised in the report “are essentially in the nature of preliminary observations” and it was “vitiated by a faulty audit process”.

“Such preliminary observations are required to be formally issued and replies to the same should be sought prior to compilation of any report. Only if the replies are not satisfactory is the next step of making a preliminary report taken.

“In the extant case, the laid down procedure was not followed and to that extent, the process of audit stands vitiated. Thus, even before seeking replies of DRDO, presumption and baseless conclusions appear to have been arrived at,” DRDO spokesperson Ravi Gupta said.

PTI

DRDO ‘develops’ blatant financial irregularities

Published: Friday, Aug 17, 2012, 9:00 IST

By Pradip R Sagar | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA

The ministry of defence’s special audit has found blatant irregularities in the Defence Research Development Organisation’s handling of finances.

The special audit report, accessed by the DNA, reveals that financial sanctions are being split so that they do not require approval of higher authorities.

The audit carried out by Comptroller General of Defence Audit on the direction of defence minister AK Antony has found that key projects costing over Rs300 crore were tweaked by the DRDO to get them sanctioned without approaching the concerned financial authorities.

“DRDO authorities have sometimes used delegated powers to sanction supposedly new projects to complete the work taken up under ongoing projects, instead of going to the concerned financial authority for revision of cost of the old projects,” the audit report claims.

For instance, programme for development of main battle tank Arjun was sanctioned at Rs69.99 crore in November 2010. But the DRDO authorities changed the entire programme and split it into smaller sub-heads and several procurements were sanctioned under ‘build-up’ so that higher authorities within the system could be avoided. This shows that a coordinated attempt to avoid going to higher financial authorities, which is contrary to financial regulations,” the auditors observed.

Similarly, despite having a comprehensive five-year programme sanctioned for human performance enhancement in May 2009 at a cost of Rs34.56 crore, the director of Defence Institute of Physiology & Allied Sciences (DIPAS-DRDO), has managed to get approval for additional projects over the already sanctioned project. Such practice defeats the very purpose of making projects/programmes,” the report added.

Another project called ‘Product support and product improvement of NAG weapon system’ was sanctioned at a cost of Rs28.35 crore by VK Saraswat, director general of DRDO, despite the fact that the Cabinet Committee on Security approved similar programme was still in the pipeline.

Audit report also pointed out an unjustified cost reduction by DG, DRDO for a project for design and development of electro-optical sensors for air-borne platforms (UAV and Aerostat) at a cost of Rs49.82 crore.

“Director General, DRDO has reduced the cost from Rs70 crore as proposed to Rs49.82 crore so as to bring it just under Rs50 crore, which is his sanctioning power,” the special audit report claims.

Under scrutiny of accounts, the audit also found anomalies in facility for elctro-optical system testing (FACET). “FACET was sanctioned at a cost of Rs35 crore by DG, DRDO to create a facility, which is essentially required to meet the objectives of an already sanctioned project,” the report added.

The audit report also observed several split sanctions were issued for renovation of DRDO Bhawan in New Delhi while an unauthorised sanction of Rs49.15 crore to develop vehicle testing facility in Pune from public accounts mainly for civilian use was granted by the DRDO authorities