Court orders sacking of Major General for sexually harassing woman officer

CHANDIGARH: A serving Major General of the Indian Army has been ordered to be dismissed by general court martial (GCM) on Sunday following allegations of sexual harassment of a young woman officer.

The GCM verdict came early on Sunday. The court was held in the jurisdiction of the Western Command. The verdict of the GCM is subject to confirmation by the Chief of the Army Staff, sources said. The senior Army officer, who has denied the charges levelled against him and has claimed that he has been made a victim of the Army’s factional feud at the top level, has the right to appeal against the order.

The Major General was charged under Section 69 of the Army Act read with Section 354 (outraging modesty of a woman by criminal force or assault) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for conduct unbecoming of an officer.

The officer was posted in the North-east sector (Assam Rifles in Nagaland) with the Eastern Command when he was accused of sexual harassment, through a written complaint, by the Captain-rank woman officer of the Judge Advocate General branch of the Army.

The court proceedings against him started in June this year. He was attached to an Army formation in Ambala for disciplinary proceedings.

Sources said that lawyers of the Major General will appeal against the GCM verdict.