HC SEEKS INFO ON ‘MISSING’ SIGNALMAN FROM ARMY

Hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the wife of a retired signalman from the Indian Army, Rajasthan high court ordered the Army to produce the record of Court of Inquiry on February 8.

Retired signalman GK Jha’s wife had claimed that her husband was untraceable and the family has been unable to contact him for last nine days.

In the division bench of Justice Sangeet Lodha and Justice VK Mathur, during the hearing on Friday, assistant solicitor general Sanjeet Purohit, on behalf of the Army, termed the petitioner’s allegations baseless saying that her husband is not missing, but is in the custody of the Army since January 25.

The Court of Inquiry is going on against him. Petitioner’s counsel SP Sharma said that if GK Jha was in custody of the Army, his wife should be allowed to meet him. The court ordered the Army to produce the record of Court of Inquiry on February 8 and said that if necessary, the court will allow the petitioner to meet her husband.

Jha who retired on November 30 last year, was recruited 16 years ago in signal unit, . Earlier, speaking to media, Jha alleged that the commanding officer wanted sexual favour from his wife. When refused, Jha was being mentally harassed. Army said Jha was suffering from panic disorder from July 15, 2015. Jha was retired on medical ground, but could not be discharged as a court of inquiry against him was yet to be finalised.

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