A Captain-rank lady officer had accused the Major General of sexually harassing her when the latter was posted in Northeast. The accused officer has denied all the charges levelled against him.
New Delhi: An Army General Court Martial recommended dismissal of a Major General from service in a two-year-old sexual harassment case today. The verdict was pronounced at 3.30 AM today at the GCM headed by a Lt Gen-rank officer. The officer in question has been charged under section 354A of the IPC and Army Act 45 which is related to unbecoming conduct of officers in the force, sources told ANI.
He had been charged under section 354 of IPC earlier but the court gave special findings and held him guilty under section 354A of IPC, news agency ANI reported.
Talking to ANI, Advocate Anand Kumar who is representing the Major General in the trial said that higher authority has the powers to even change the sentence and added they will be appealing against the order as the GCM court has not even looked into the defence case yet.
The defence believes that the evidence has not been appreciated properly and the decision has been passed in haste.
The alleged incident took place in late 2016 when the Major General was posted in the Northeast and was attached to Chandimandir under Army’s Western Command for the disciplinary proceedings.
A Captain-rank lady officer accused the Maj Gen of sexually harassing her but the Maj Gen denied all the charges. In a plea filed before the before the Armed Forces Tribunal the accused officer claimed he was a victim of factionalism within the Army which started due to the appointment of Army Chief in that year.