M A I N   N E W S

Accused officer legal adviser in own case?
Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22
The Army has convened a court of inquiry (CoI) into the alleged molestation of a lady officer by her superior officer at Headquarters, 16 Corps, in Nagrota. The CoI, ordered by the General Officer Commanding, 16 Corps, is being headed by Brig S.B.S Choudhary, Deputy Director, Ordnance Services, 16 Corps, and includes a Colonel and a Lieutenant Colonel as members.

Contrary to the provisions of Army Instructions 30/86, which require an officer against whom CoI proceedings have been initiated to be attached to a different establishment, no such action has been initiated against the accused officer, Lt-Col Virender Mohan, in this case so far and he continues to hold the same responsibilities, sources revealed.

This, sources said, was a significant anomaly in proceedings because being an officer from the Judge Advocate General’s Branch in the same establishment where an inquiry against him was on, he would be rendering legal advice to the convening authority in his own case. This, some officers added, had cast a shadow on the fairness of the CoI.

Though publicly the Army is terming it as a case of sexual harassment, inquiries reveal that the officer’s medical documents mention “attempt to molestation” and office environment as the reasons for traumatic syndrome, for which she was admitted for treatment to Military Hospital, Jammu.

Meanwhile, sources revealed that the Chief of Staff, 16 Corps, as well as the Brigadier (Administration) and Colonel (Administration) of the corps had received verbal complaints from the officer that she was being intimidated and pressurised regarding her statements.

It is also learnt that after the matter came out in the open, the accused officer had a personal interview with the Corps Commander.

In a detailed complaint written to the GOC, 16 Corps, earlier this month, the officer had pointed out that she was being troubled by her senior officer ever since she got posted to Nagrota in March. She had also appraised senior officers at Corps Headquarters of the matter.