A General Court Martial (GCM) held in Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh, has sentenced an officer (Lieutenant Colonel) of the Army Service Corps (ASC) to two years of rigorous imprisonment along with dishonourable discharge from the Indian Army. The officer was found guilty of multiple offences, including fraudulent financial activities and ‘unbecoming conduct’ for maintaining an illicit relationship with a woman.
Found Guilty on Four Charges
The officer, attached to the Rajput Regimental Centre (RRC) in Fatehgarh, faced trial on several charges under the Army Act. The GCM, presided over by a senior officer, found him guilty on four counts. Three of these fell under Section 52(f) of the Army Act, which pertains to fraudulent transactions, while the fourth charge was under Section 45, related to misconduct unbecoming of an officer.
The charges stemmed from incidents spanning several years. During his posting with an ASC Battalion in Hisar (2013–2014), the officer misused railway concession vouchers issued in 2013 to book tickets for a journey between Lucknow and New Delhi in 2020. The vouchers, however, were designated for travel between Hisar and Lucknow. Despite his defence argument of a conspiracy against him, the court established that the vouchers bore his signature and unit stamp, proving the misuse.
Fraudulent House Rent Allowance Claims
The court also found the officer guilty of fraudulently claiming a higher house rent allowance (HRA) by declaring Delhi a Class ‘X’ city as his family’s place of residence, while his wife and daughter were actually living in Lucknow, a Class ‘Y’ city. This misrepresentation resulted in higher financial benefits.
His defence that his dependent mother was living in Delhi and the family visited was rejected after his wife, a former Air Force officer, testified that their visits to Delhi were brief and occasional.
Illicit Relationship and Misconduct
The most serious charge under Section 45 related to the officer’s illicit relationship with a woman who lived in his official single-officer accommodation. The case began after a complaint from his wife, who discovered the woman residing there. Testimonies from neighbours, household staff, and other witnesses confirmed the nature of their relationship, describing their behaviour as that of a couple.
Further evidence showed that the officer had transferred a gas connection to the woman’s name at his accommodation address and had issued a dependent card featuring her photograph instead of his wife’s despite the card listing his rank incorrectly.
Medical records from an Air Force Hospital and other documents strengthened the prosecution’s case. The officer maintained that the woman was a friend who visited regularly, but the court rejected this claim based on the evidence presented.
Awaiting Final Confirmation
The findings and sentencing two years of rigorous imprisonment and cashiering (dishonourable discharge) will take effect pending confirmation by the convening authority of the court martial.
As reported by The Indian Express, this case underscores the Indian Army’s strict disciplinary standards and zero tolerance for misconduct and corruption within its ranks.
