Bangalore, April 25, 2005, B.R. SRIKANTH (The Telegraph)

The Indian Air Force today said a probe was on into the charges of sexual harassment made against three seniors by flying officer Anjali Gupta, the first woman of the air strike wing to face court martial.

For the first time, the IAF will allow the media to witness general court martial proceedings, scheduled to begin on April 27 at the Aircraft Systems and Testing Establishment (ASTE), here.

The 30-year-old flying officer, now under “close arrest” on the ASTE campus, will be tried for six charges, including financial irregularities, indiscipline and conduct unbecoming of an officer.

Today, the proceedings could not take off as wing commander Bhupesh, the defending officer, requested time to peruse all documents on the case. The proceedings, however, will steer clear of Gupta’s complaint of harassment and only hear the charges against her.

Gupta was commissioned in 2000 in the education wing and was first posted at the IAF station in Belgaum, then transferred to ASTE in early 2003.

According to group captain Ajay Masson, the senior staff officer at the IAF’s training command here, the probe into the conduct of the senior officers began after Gupta wrote to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi, and the defence ministry.

“On directions of the air chief and the MoD, we have begun investigations into the charges. We are in the process of collecting information to reply to the allegations.... The report will be submitted to the air headquarters as her letter was addressed to the Chief of Air Staff. If there is truth, a separate court martial will be ordered,” Masson said.

He added that an inquiry made following Gupta’s complaint to the local police did not throw up any evidence of sexual harassment.

“The local SHO (station house officer) made enquiries on his own after she lodged a complaint, but could not find any evidence,” he said.

On the extent of the financial irregularities allegedly committed by the flying officer, Masson said: “Whether it is a rupee or a lakh, such irregularities are treated as a blot on an officer’s integrity.”

The court martial was initiated as the flying officer did not complete an inquiry (summary of evidence) commenced in October 2004, he said.

Gupta’s writ petition in Delhi High Court, accusing the officers of “action amounting to sexual harassment” in December 2004 was dismissed in January on the ground that she had not complied with the procedures of the IAF, Masson informed.

Gupta then moved Karnataka High Court in April, accusing the same officers, after which the court sent notices to the IAF and the Bangalore city police. She has petitioned the Karnataka State Commission for Women for action against the officers.