Indian Army’s Court of Inquiry (CoI) is likely to indict Major Leetul Gogoi in an incident where the major was seen with a local Kashmiri woman in a Srinagar hotel on 23 May, reported The Indian Express.
The results of the inquiry could lead to disciplinary action against the Army officer who first made the headlines in April 2017 over the human shield incident.
THE BACKGROUND
On 23 May, Major Gogoi, along with another Army officer, Sameer Ahmed, were questioned at a Srinagar police station after an argument erupted at Hotel Grand Mamta, where the hotel staff refused to let a woman, who was accompanying Major Gogoi, in.
On 26 May, General Bipin Rawat said, “If Major Gogoi has done something wrong, I assure you, he will be punished and the punishment will be such that it will set an example.”
On 31 May, in a status report to a Srinagar court, the J&K police said that “no case is made out against Gogoi and neither the hotelier nor the girl had filed any complaint.”
WHAT WE KNOW
The findings of the CoI had been submitted to the XV Corps and were being studied before being processed according to military law, reported The Indian Express, quoting sources.
The CoI, headed by a Brigadier, had taken the testimony of Major Gogoi as well as other Army officers concerned, besides looking into pertinent documents, according to the report.
According to the sources, the CoI has indicted the Army officer on two counts: being away from the place of duty while on active service in an operational area and for violating the official Army policy on fraternising with a local woman “source”.
WHAT’S NEXT
The findings have been recommended by a major general, according to the IE sources. They now need approval of the XV Corps Commander.
After this approval, under the relevant provisions of the Army act, the authorities will frame charges against Major Gogoi. It is then their decision on whether to punish the officer or convene a court martial to try the him.
However, the sources told The Indian Express that the CoI was not complete since it awaited legal vetting and that they could not comment on the matter till the process was completed.
(With inputs from The Indian Express.)
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