Army orders fresh probe against Colonel for ‘suicide’ by officer’s wife in unit | Sanjha Morcha website basically designed to facilitate veterans to read defence related print media news , reproduced from various National/Regional /International Newspapers and Magazines and Videos related to welfare of defence personnel. click link below to open website.

Documents accessed by The Indian Express reveal that the new Court of Inquiry has been ordered by the Jodhpur-based HQs 12 Corps on January 29, 2018.

Army sources inform that there had been considerable upheaval in the battalion over the death of the officerâs wife and a spate of allegations had been levelled against the then CO. (Representational)

Army sources inform that there had been considerable upheaval in the battalion over the death of the officer’s wife and a spate of allegations had been levelled against the then CO. (Representational)

The Army has ordered a re-investigation into the role of a former Commanding Officer (CO) of a battalion of the Brigade of Guards, in the rank of Colonel, with regards to the alleged suicide committed by the wife of the second in command of the unit deployed in Rajasthan in October 2018.

In a move that has raised eyebrows, the Army has set aside the first Court of Inquiry held into the incident in November 2018 and has ordered a fresh Court of Inquiry with explicit instruction to look into any possible acts of moral turpitude which the CO may have indulged into. The previous inquiry has been set aside on the plea that it did not have proper composition.

Documents accessed by The Indian Express reveal that the new Court of Inquiry has been ordered by the Jodhpur-based HQs 12 Corps on January 29, 2018. A Brigadier has been appointed the presiding officer of the inquiry along with two officers of the rank of Colonel and a lady officer of the rank of Major. The lady officer has been detailed because it is felt that during the course of the inquiry ladies may be asked to come and depose before the inquiry.

The incident pertains to October 26, 2018 when the wife of a Lt Colonel allegedly committed suicide in Pokhran. The CO of the battalion, who was later removed from command, is alleged to have been in consistent touch with the lady, who was the wife of his immediate subordinate, and hence his role is being examined.

As per the orders issued by the Army, the Court of Inquiry shall take the opinion of the medical authorities regarding the cause of the death of the lady. “State of physical and mental health of the lady be also taken on record through competent witnesses such as husband and doctors who may have examined her,” the order reads.

It goes to direct that phone call records of the known telephone numbers of the lady may also be obtained and examined to find out whether the former CO had made calls, messages, WhatsApp communication to verify the allegations made against him.