AFT fines Centre, army chief ₹50L for lady officer’s death
LUCKNOW: In a landmark judgment, the Lucknow bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh on eleven respondents, including the Union of India and chief of the army staff, in the mysterious death of a captain rank lady officer.
The tribunal directed that the cost should be deposited in the tribunal by the respondents within four months and released in favour of the father of the deceased through a cheque.
A division bench of justice Devi Prasad Singh (judicial member) and air marshal Anil Chopra (administrative member) passed the judgment allowed the petition (OA) filed by Devendra Singh Bhandari, a resident of Dehradun and father of the deceased lady officer Meenakshi.
The tribunal directed the respondents to provide liberalised family pension, gratuity, ex-gratia grant and other benefits to which she was entitled to, in accordance with the pension regulations (2008) and other rules and regulations of the Indian Air Force, within four months.
The tribunal also directed the respondents to investigate the case afresh and said it would be appropriate for the ministry of defence to refer the matter to an independent investigating agency. The tribunal directed the Indian Air Force to set up a highpowered committee to investigate into the matter afresh.
The incident took place on the intervening night of December 24-25, 2011, when a same-rank officer spotted captain Meenakshi in flames in her own service quarter.
She rushed her to the hospital on a motorcycle. Her family was informed immediately after she was admitted to the hospital. According to the official records, she suffered 90% burn injuries and on January 24, 2012, Meenakshi’s father was informed of her death.
Citing the incident as a scene from the film ‘Ghost Rider’, the tribunal observed that the woman officer holding rank of captain in Military Nursing Service, in air force wing, died under mysterious circumstances.
The tribunal said that prima facie, the death of captain Meenakshi on account of burns did not seem to be accidental.
THE TRIBUNAL DIRECTED THE RESPONDENTS TO PROVIDE LIBERALISED FAMILY PENSION, GRATUITY, EXGRATIA GRANT AND OTHER BENEFITS.