#MeToo in Indian Navy too? Senior officer found guilty of sexually harassing woman doctor

New Delhi: A senior officer has been found guilty of molesting a woman doctor at a vice admiral’s house through a Navy court martial procedure. The guilty officer has been awarded a punishment by the force.

“The Navy general court matial has recommended that the senior officer be punished with loss of four years of seniorty for molesting the lady doctor under the Section 354A(2) and 509 of the IPC. The GCM was completed last month by the Navy,” sources told MyNation.

The GCM was headed by a senior officer of the rank of commodore and was held under the Delhi-based INS India near the South Block.

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 The incident had taken place in the house of a vice-admiral who was being treated by the officer and the lady doctor during late evening.

Though the incident took place in the official quarters of the senior vice admiral, neither he nor his mother, who was the only witness to the crime at the scene of incidence, were made available to the board of inquiry or the GCM for questioning. 

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When the incident took place, the officer was posted at INS India, the Navy's establishment and administration office in the national capital.

In the first week of May 2016, the young woman doctor had been to the bathroom at the vice admiral's house when the officer molested her. The soldier found guilty is a high profile officer in the force who has received meritorious service awards in the recent past.

Navy officials say that the deployment of the two officers, including that of the woman officer, at a senior officer's house for treatment of his relatives is permissible.

The officer found guilty by the GCM has pleaded not guilty in the case.

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