Chandigarh, October 16, 2026: The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has allowed administrative termination proceedings against an Indian Army Major to continue, declining his request for an interim stay in a case that involves allegations of misconduct, including improper relationships with the wives of two Colonels.
The order was passed on October 14 by a bench comprising Justice Rajendra Menon and Lieutenant General C.P. Mohanty. The officer had approached the tribunal after the Army issued a show-cause notice in August 2026 proposing termination of his service.
According to the record cited in the report, the Army had decided that a trial by General Court Martial was inexpedient in the circumstances. At the same time, it concluded that the Major’s retention in service was undesirable because of the alleged misconduct.
What the Tribunal Directed
The AFT declined to step in at the interim stage and asked the officer to place his objections before the competent Army authorities through his reply to the notice.
The tribunal also directed the Army to supply him with copies of the Court of Inquiry (COI) findings and the proceedings of the hearing of charge, which he had sought for his defence.
How the Case Reached the Tribunal
As reported by The Tribune, the matter began after the Major’s wife complained to Army authorities about his conduct. That complaint triggered a Court of Inquiry, and three additional Courts of Inquiry were later conducted on allegations involving improper relationships with fellow officers’ wives and conduct unbecoming of an Army officer.
On the basis of those inquiries, Headquarters 11 Corps, based in Jalandhar, initiated disciplinary proceedings and initially contemplated court martial. The inquiries reportedly found the officer blameworthy on several counts, including maintaining improper relationships with the wives of two Colonels, installing prohibited applications on his personal digital device, and misleading a board of officers that examined his electronic devices.
Major’s Challenge Before AFT
The Major challenged the proceedings before the tribunal, alleging serious procedural irregularities in the investigation and later steps.
His counsel, Major Anand Kumar (Retd), argued that the officer’s statutory rights had been violated during the Courts of Inquiry and while the Summary of Evidence (SOE) was being recorded. The defence said this affected his ability to respond properly to the allegations.
Counsel also submitted that neither the two Colonels nor their wives had been examined during the proceedings, even though they were central to the allegations. He further stated that the Major’s wife had separately approached a family court, where a compromise was reached and she reportedly withdrew the complaint she had earlier made to Army authorities.
The challenge additionally questioned the validity of the show-cause notice, with the defence arguing that it did not adequately explain why a court martial could not be held. It was also alleged that the Army had not provided documents needed to prepare the officer’s response.
Proceedings to Continue for Now
After considering the submissions, the AFT refused to freeze the Army’s administrative action. The tribunal instead held that the Major should raise his objections in his formal reply to the show-cause notice.
The ruling does not amount to termination of his service by itself. It simply allows the Army’s process to move ahead while the officer contests the allegations and procedural issues before a final decision is taken.
Source: The Tribune, report by Vijay Mohan, October 14, 2026.
