NEW DELHI, May 31: India said on Tuesday it would investigate reports that an army brigadier sold the country’s battle plan before the 1965 war with Pakistan to fund his wife’s hobby of canning fruits and vegetables.

Gohar Ayub Khan, son of former President Ayub Khan, said in an interview to a Pakistani newspaper, on Monday that Pakistani agents had bought the Indian military plan for 20,000 rupees from the officer, who needed money to buy equipment for his wife to fulfil her hobby.

The report was splashed across front pages in the Indian media on Tuesday. Mr Gohar, a former Pakistan foreign minister whose autobiography will be released in coming weeks, told the Pakistani newspaper that the Indian brigadier was still alive and served in a very senior position before retiring.

The Indian defence ministry said though it doubted Gohar’s claims it would investigate. “The incident took place 30 to 35 years ago... It needs to be looked into and will be investigated,” Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters while inaugurating a new naval base on India’s western coast.

But he said it was highly unlikely that an officer of the rank of brigadier would have the military’s complete battle plan.—Reuters