New Delhi, June 11: Wing Commander dismissed on charges of sexual misconduct filed by a lady officer
Cases of sexual indiscretions by officers from the defence forces are growing by the dozen. Within a week of a junior officer’s wife levelling charges of sexual misconduct against Lt General AK Nanda, comes the news of a court martial recommending the dismissal of an officer from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for misbehaving with a junior female colleague.
Wing Commander HS Virk posted in Agra was tried after complaints were lodged against him by the lady officer. The charge against him is of sexual misconduct amounting to outraging the modesty of a junior female officer. The General Court Martial (GCM) proceedings took place in Bareilly last month and recommended the dismissal of the Wing Commander from the IAF.
The complainant is of the rank of flying officer posted at the Bareilly air base. Sources in the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) on condition of anonymity divulged the actual nature of the charges. “As per the complaint filed by the lady officer the guilty Wing Commander used to draw lewd and obscene sketches on paper and used to show them to her. He also used to make objectionable remarks to her,” said an AFT official.
The GCM which took place between April 27 and May 13 was headed by Group Captain P Kumar and the final confirmation of the sentence is awaited from the Central Air Command headquartered at Allahabad. Meanwhile, Virk decided to file an appeal with AFT contending that he is being kept under illegal detention by the Air Force.
UNBECOMING CONDUCT
Army Headquarters has reportedly ordered a Court of Enquiry into the Lieutenant General AK Nanda Case. The inquiry will look into allegations of molestation levelled against him by the wife of a junior officer and other extraneous factors and suspected involvement of some other officers that led to these allegations. According to sources, although Army has found major loopholes in the allegations, it wants to carry out the entire process so as to eliminate any charges of favouritism in favour of General Nanda.
Arguing against the plea, the IAF said Virk couldn’t be released as the sentence recommended by the GCM was yet to be confirmed by higher authorities. Hearing both sides, the Tribunal directed the IAF to release the officer on bail and to send him on leave for two weeks.
Virk was represented in the AFT by advocate Rajiv Manglik who, while speaking to Media, said: “Though the GCM recommended his dismissal, it never said anything amounting to detention of Wing Commander Virk. Our contention was that why should he remain in custody if he hasn’t been sentenced.”
Manglik also added that the charges against Wing Commander Virk are based on a conversation between him and the lady officer which took place on December 11, 2009.
On being asked about the nature of the conversation he said, “Wing Commander Virk while commenting upon the lady said that ‘you are very pretty’ etc. The lady officer took offence and filed a complaint against Wing Commander Virk.”
——Agencies