Tamil Nadu: Air Force Officer Accused Of Raping Woman Colleague Handed Over To IAF

The IAF had argued that under the provisions of the Indian Air Force Act 1950, the case be handed over to them for court-martial proceedings

Chennai: A 29-year-old flight lieutenant with the Indian Air Force, who is accused of raping a colleague at the IAF Administrative College at Red Fields, Coimbatore, has been handed over to the IAF.

Judge (in-charge) N Thilageswari of the Mahila Court, Coimbatore, had on Thursday directed the police to hand over the rape case to the Indian Air Force. The IAF had argued that the case should be handed over to them for court-martial proceedings under the provisions of the Indian Air Force Act 1950.

N. Sundaravadivelu, the counsel of the accused, argued that the case is probed only by court-martial and if proved guilty, he would be punished.

However, the Coimbatore All Women Police, who had taken the accused in custody, argued that he be handed over to them for further questioning. The police had requested two-day custody of the accused officer.

The advocate appearing for the accused also said the IAF should take cognisance of the FIR registered by the Coimbatore City police, and that investigation cannot be continued without the documents collected by the Coimbatore Civil police.

The flight lieutenant was arrested on September 25 after a 28-year-old woman IAF officer complained that she was sexually assaulted by the accused who entered her room when she was sleeping after taking a medicine.

According to the FIR registered by the Coimbatore police, the woman IAF officer has alleged that senior IAF officers, including medical officers at the IAF hospital where she was taken to for medical test after the alleged rape, were trying to put pressure on her to withdraw the complaint. She also complained that she was subjected to "two-finger" test by the Air Force medical department.

The "two-finger" test on victims to confirm rape is a banned practice, according to a Supreme Court order.

The accused flight lieutenant was taken to the Air Force Administrative College, Red Fields, immediately after the court pronounced the judgment on Friday.