Lt. Col. is asked to pay `50K fine

Oct 12, 2010 |

New Delhi

The Armed Forces Tribunal on Monday gave a major relief to a lieutenant colonel found guilty by a Court Martial of outraging the modesty of two women, by setting aside his dismissal and ordering him to pay a fine of `50,000 as punishment.

Lt. Col. S.S. Bedi, an Army doctor, was cashiered from service in 1986 after the wives of two military personnel complained that the officer had tried to outrage their modesty during a medical check-up.
After the complaint was filed, authorities ordered a Court of Inquiry (CoI) against him and later, a General Court Martial (GCM) ordered his dismissal from service.
Lt. Col. Bedi had filed a petition in the Delhi high court challenging his conviction by the Court Martial contending the charges against him were false.
Observing that the two women had made the allegations long after the alleged incident, the bench observed, “Their silence mitigated the seriousness of the allegations. No cogent and convincing reason has been stated for their silence.” —PTI

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