Gold deal gone wrong, Indian peace keepers hit back: United Nations

To recover $480 they had paid as part of a gold deal, Indian peace keepers in Congo illegally detained, physically assaulted and “sexually propositioned” a local gold trader who had sold them counterfeit gold dust, a UN investigation on charges of misconduct in the country’s North Kivu province has revealed.

The report prepared by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), however, says it failed to find evidence against the Indian contingent on allegations ranging from gun smuggling to selling rations and fuel to rebel militia.

On one of the charges, the report says there is evidence to prove that three members of an Indian unit based at Nyabiondo purchased “counterfeit gold and unlawfully detained a local resident”. It recommends India take appropriate action against the peace keepers.

The three Army personnel have been identified in the UN report as “JCO Deepak Singh Nayal, Sergeant Suresh Pandurang Bodhak and Lt Col Talum Duby”. The Army has also initiated a court of inquiry against the personnel who have since returned home.

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