Army court orders action against Gogoi
ARMY MAJOR HAS BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FRATERNISING WITH A LOCAL WOMAN, WHICH IS AGAINST SERVICE RULES
ACourt of Inquiry (CoI) yesterday ordered initiation of disciplinary action against controversial Indian Army officer Major Leetul Gogoi after he was arrested from a hotel in Kashmir with a local woman.
“Orders have been issued to initiate disciplinary action against Major Gogoi. He has been held accountable for fraternising a local in spite of instructions to the contrary and for being away from the place of duty while in the operational area,” the army sources told Gulf News.
The findings of the twomember CoI, conducted by a brigadier, have been approved by the General Officer Commanding of Srinagar headquartered 15 Corps.
On May 23 last year, Major Gogoi was detained by Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police after a fight with the staff of a hotel where he was trying to check in with an 18-year-old woman.
After the incident, Army Chief Bipin Rawat had promised “strictest action” if anyone in the army did any wrong.
“If anyone in the Indian Army, at any rank, does any wrong and it comes to our notice, then strictest action will be taken. If Major Gogoi has done something wrong then I can say that he will be given due punishment and the punishment will be such that it will set an example,” Rawat said.
Major Gogoi earlier courted controversy on April nine last year when he tied a Kashmiri man to his jeep as a “human shield” during Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) by-polls. He had tied embroidery artisan Farooq Ahmad Dar to his jeep to escape heavy stone pelting by protesters.
Major Gogoi was later awarded the Chief of Army Staff’s Commendation card for “sustained efforts” in counter-insurgency operations.
Yesterday, after hearing that the officer was indicted by an Army Court, Dar said “justice was finally done”.
“The army major was arrogant with power and considered himself my creator. I am thankful to the Almighty. The person who ruined my life has to face the wrath of God finally. God has his ways to do justice,” Dar said.
After the April 9 incident,
Dar was shunned by his neighbours. He even underwent treatment for depression.
“I am not even sure whether I will be able to restart my life but I am happy that God has given me justice at the end of the day. The person who is responsible for my destruction has also been eventually shamed,” he added.