Trial begins; court refuses to release Anjali from ‘close arrest’

A Military Court on Monday began the trial of IAF Flying Officer Anjali Gupta, who faces seven charges relating to financial irregularities,...

A Military Court on Monday began the trial of IAF Flying Officer Anjali Gupta, who faces seven charges relating to financial irregularities, insubordination and indiscipline. The court, hearing general court martial (GCM) proceedings against Gupta, disallowed her pleas for release from ‘close arrest’ and 20 days to arrange for a civil defence counsel.

Judge Advocate Sq. Ldr. Suhag read out the charges against Gupta, who was posted at the aircraft and systems testing establishment here. She refused to respond to the charges and said the GCM was ‘‘forced on her’’ and the court was not ‘‘listening’’ to her request for a civil defence counsel.

Sq Ldr Suhag said that since she did not respond, the court would record it as ‘‘pleaded not guilty’’. When IAF prosecutor Wg. Cdr. R R Dubay suggested Gupta engage the services of a civil defence counsel by Tuesday morning, she said: ‘‘I can’t bring my defence counsel from the sky.’’

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The court, presided over by Group Captain V Ganesh, found some portions of her written submission to engage the services of a civil defence counsel ‘disrespectful’. The court said it amounted to contempt of court and it could take ‘‘hard and harsh’’ action against her.

The Judge Advocate and the Presiding Officer threw away her written submission and asked her to take it back. At this, Anjali remarked, ‘‘I can’t pick up papers like this.’’ She, however, ‘‘reformated’’ the written submission later.

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