Indian Air Force Pilot dismissed, jailed by Court Martial
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An Indian Air Force pilot has been dismissed from service and sentenced to two years in jail after being convicted by a general court martial (GCM) under various charges including assault on his superiors, refusal to eat food and having stolen remote controls from the officers’ mess, Mail Today has reported.
The young flight lieutenant has challenged the sentence of the GCM in a military court in Delhi. He was granted bail by the Delhi court after having signed a personal bond of Rs 25,000. “We suspend the sentence of the applicant and enlarge him on bail on furnishing personal bond for a sum of Rs 25,000,” Mail Today quoted Justice VK Shali, head of armed forces tribunal bench, as saying.
In his plea before the tribunal, the IAF officer requested for bail and suspension of his sentence as he has already completed more than nine months in custody during trial. The military court has asked the officer to surrender his passport to the tribunal and restricted him from visiting any air force base or residential complex while he stays in Delhi or out of station.
“Around 20 charges were levelled against the officer in the GCM where he was found guilty on some of the charges. He was awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment but that has been reduced to two years by the service,” an Indian Air Force officer said
The dismissed transport pilot flew Antonov-32 cargo plane before being confined to the ground service due to a knee injury which he suffered during a sports event in 2013. The officer was a winner of gold medal for the IAF in a national shooting championship.
