A case has been registered against a Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force by Jammu and Kashmir police following allegations of sexual assault by a junior woman officer at a New Year party on the night of December 31, 2023. Both are posted at Air Force Station, Srinagar.
The FIR was filed at the Budgam police station on September 8 under Section 376 (2) of the IPC, which was in force at the time of the alleged incident. The Section deals with rape committed by a member of the armed forces.
“After the complaint, the FIR under relevant Sections of the law was filed at Budgam police station in central Kashmir,” a senior police officer said.
While there was no statement from the IAF, an official said they were aware of the case. “Budgam police have approached us on the subject. We are completely cooperating towards the case,” the official said.
The woman officer, in her complaint, had alleged that the incident took place around 2 a.m. on January 1, 2024 during the New Year’s party at the Officers’ Mess at the station after the Wing Commander asked her to come into a room to receive a New Year gift. She also accused the senior officers at the station of not taking her complaint seriously.
Her complaint records that it took two months for the station to assemble an internal committee, on April 2, 2024. The investigation ended on May 15 as the committee said it was “inconclusive that the incident happened or not” because of “lack of eyewitness”.
The officer then approached the J&K Police to file her complaint.
(With inputs from PTI)
Published - September 10, 2024 11:12 pm IST
