india

Updated: Dec 23, 2018 14:37 IST

An Army General Court Martial (GCM) on Sunday recommended dismissal of a Major General from service in a two-year-old sexual harassment case.

“The GCM headed by a Lt Gen-rank officer gave its verdict at 3.30 am today in which the officer has been charged under section 354A of IPC and Army Act 45 which is related to unbecoming conduct of officers in the force,” sources told ANI in New Delhi.

“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,” they said.

As per Army Rules, the recommendation of the GCM would now be sent to higher authorities including the Chief of Army Staff for confirmation. The higher authority has the powers to change the sentence.

Advocate Anand Kumar, representing the Maj Gen in the trial, told ANI that they will be appealing against the order as the “(GCM) court has not at all looked into the defence case. Evidence has not been appreciated properly and decision has been passed in a haste.”

The Maj Gen was posted in the Northeast when the alleged incident took place in late 2016 and was attached to Chandimandir under the Army’s Western Command for disciplinary proceedings.

Sources said the officer has denied charges against him levelled by the Captain-rank lady officer.

In a plea filed before the Armed Forces Tribunal, the officer had claimed that he was a victim of factionalism within the Army which had allegedly arisen due to the appointment of the Army Chief that year.

During the trial, the officer contended that there have been certain issues raised by him which have not been addressed by authorities concerned. The officer also has a plea pending before the tribunal for providing him documents of the proceedings of the GCM and other related investigations in the matter.

The officer had played a crucial role in one of the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army in the last few years. In 2007, a Maj Gen had to quit the Army after a lady officer alleged that he had touched her inappropriately while teaching yoga to her.

(The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)