In a significant ruling, a General Court Martial (GCM) convened in Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh, has sentenced a Lieutenant Colonel from the Army Service Corps (ASC) to two years of rigorous imprisonment and dishonourable discharge from the Indian Army. The officer was convicted on several serious charges, including fraudulent financial activities and maintaining an illicit relationship, bringing attention to the Army’s stringent disciplinary standards.
The court found the officer guilty on four counts under the Army Act, overseen by a senior officer. Three of the charges fell under Section 52(f), which concerns fraudulent transactions, while the fourth was categorized under Section 45, relating to conduct unbecoming of an officer. The allegations against him spanned several years and involved various fraudulent activities.
One major charge involved the misuse of railway concession vouchers issued in 2013. During his tenure with an ASC Battalion in Hisar from 2013 to 2014, the officer inappropriately utilized these vouchers to book tickets for travel between Lucknow and New Delhi in 2020, despite the vouchers being strictly for travel between Hisar and Lucknow. The defence claimed that there was a conspiracy against him, but the court presented evidence, including the officer’s signature and unit stamp on the vouchers, which illustrated clear misuse.
The officer was also found guilty of fraudulently claiming a higher house rent allowance (HRA). He falsely declared his family’s residence in Delhi, categorized as a Class ‘X’ city, while his wife and daughter actually resided in Lucknow, designated as a Class ‘Y’ city. This misrepresentation resulted in unwarranted financial benefits. The officer’s assertion that his dependent mother lived in Delhi was dismissed after his wife, a former Air Force officer, testified that their family visits were infrequent and brief.
The most grave of the charges related to his illicit relationship with a woman residing in his official single-officer accommodation. This situation came to light following a complaint from his wife, who found the woman living there. Testimonies from neighbors and household staff corroborated the nature of their relationship, describing them as a couple. Further investigations revealed that the officer had transferred a gas connection to the woman’s name at his residence and had even issued a dependent card that featured her photograph instead of his wife’s, though with his rank inaccurately listed.
Medical records from an Air Force Hospital, along with other corroborative evidence, fortified the prosecution’s case against the officer. In his defense, the officer claimed the woman was merely a friend, but the court found the evidence overwhelmingly in favor of the charges presented.
The sentence of two years of rigorous imprisonment and the dishonourable discharge awaits final confirmation from the convening authority of the court martial. This case highlights the Indian Army’s unwavering commitment to maintaining high standards of conduct and its zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct and corruption within its ranks.
