In a major development, an ongoing inquiry into allegations of forgery in personal records of top officers in the Indian Coast Guard, it has been found that nearly 20 annual confidential reports have either been manipulated or gone missing.

Investigations into the claims began after an Inspector General-ranked officer raised a formal complaint with the Ministry of Defence alleging manipulation in his personal record that led to the modification in merit lowering his marks.

Officials in the Defence Ministry did not comment on the allegations saying that the internal inquiry was still underway.

“Two Joint Secretaries are part of the probe in which so far, it has emerged that many appraisal reports of officers of the Additional Director General-rank officers have surprisingly gone missing. The missing records can also lead to the change in the seniority of officers at the time of appointment at the senior-most level,” sources said, according to news agency ANI.

The internal inquiry was ordered by the topmost authorities in the Defence Ministry, and they are expected to look at who is responsible for the alleged forgery and also the manipulation of documents.

In nearly 20 ACRs, overwriting and use of whitener was found.

Top authorities in the ministry have directed probe teams that no one should be protected from law, and strictest punishment should be given to those responsible for the alleged forgery.

Sources have said that a senior administrator in Defence Ministry has also scrapped a promotion board due to his ‘zero-tolerance’ approach towards corruption.

More and more cases of alleged manipulation in promotions have begun to tumble out after several coast guard personnel approached various government agencies seeking justice.