“Honey Trap” Will Haunt The Naval Officer For Life

Shailesh Kumar

New Delhi

The Russuian honey trap will haunt commodore Sukhjinder Singh for life even if he comes clean out of it. As Sukhjinder has a daughter of 17 years of age whom, commodore has to face many times a day. The world knows about the sex scandal commodore is in immaterial fallen or trapped.

Sukhjinder Singh, Navy commodore, who presently said to be posted as the Principle Director in Aircraft Carrier Acquisition Project in Delhi, is under scanner for alleged personal misconduct during his tenure in Russia. Navy is conducting a board of enquiry (BoI) against the allegation of personal misconduct of Commodore Sukhjinder Singh while he was posted in Russia's Severodvinsk town near Sevmash Shipyard where the refitting of Admiral Gorsakov is going on.

As per Navy Sources Sukhjinder Singh was the engineering officer in Navy's Warship Oversteering Team looking after the refitting and technical requirement related Quality Assurance. Commodore Sukhjinder attended only few meetings of the price negotiation team. Navy sources tell that it is unlikely that his personal misconduct, if proved could have affected the price of Aircraft Carrier. It is unlikely to break the chain of command. Commodore Sukhjinder Singh was reporting to a Rear Admiral in Delhi. This Rear Admiral reported to a Vice Admiral who in turn was reporting to another Vice Admiral, who finally was reporting to the Chief of Naval Staff.

Severodvinsk is a small town with almost all the officers family living together. It is told by the sources that the officer in question was also put up along with his family during his tenure in Russia between 2005- 2007. He has a daughter of aroung 17 years of current age. Sukhjinder Singh, was commanding around 25 junior Naval officers, whose family was also living there. Navy’s highly placed sources, who know Sukhjinder Singh told me that “it is unlikely that he may have fooled his family or juniors for so long”. Then how come his pictures were sent to the Naval Headquarters around 10 days back. Navy officially confirmed of the obscene pictures but refused to comment on the possibility of pictures with more than one Russian woman in compromising position. There is possibility of checking the background of the woman in picture whether she has any linkages with the arms dealer or the Russian party involved in the price negotiations.

Navy spokesperson Commander PVS Satish confirmes “Navy had information of alleged misconduct around 10 days back. After which, a board of inquiry was set up under an Admiral, a three star rank officer. The BoI is looking after whether the officer’s personal misconduct had any bearing on the price negotiation or the final price of the Aircraft Carrier”.

There could also be a possibility of framing the Naval officer in a sex scandal, which really never existed. If there is an effect on the final price of the Admiral Gorsakov, than it could not be possible because of just one person fallen in a honey trap! Because “there were so many officers involved in the negotiations and moreover Sukhjinder Singh was replaced by many officers by now. At least 40 officer must have changed from the time negotiation were put in place. It is impossible to bring all the officers in the honey trap”, said a naval source closely associated with the India’s Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Program.

A retired commodore put the blame on Russians. He says that “Russians always do that. Around 8 years back an Admiral was looted by a Russian lady and allegations were cropped against the Admiral as that lady entered in his room while he was wrapped in a towel. Her associates clicked pictured of both, which were later leaked to the media. But finally what happened to that. Truth came out but admiral had to face lot of embarrassment”. Was the Commodore Sukhjinder Singh photographed under drugs? Then why did he not reported it to the seniors in navy if he had any doubt of such incident happened to him. Naval Intelligence always caution officers in a classroom leaving for overseas missions.

The officers are instructed of having good conduct as they represent the country. Officers are told to stay away or maintain a distance with the ladies in a foreign country. “But it is hard to completely avoid the ladies as there are many counterparts and you have to interact with them to perform your duty”. All the officers on such overseas assignments are under Naval intelligence and RAW scanner. But why this sex scandal gone unnotices is another big question. The board of enquiry would be over in a few days but the malign of honey trap would haunt the officer for life even if he comes clean out of it.