Srinagar- An Indian Air Force pilot has moved the Jammu and Kashmir High Court alleging that she was sexually harassed by her Flight Commander.
The J&K High Court has already issued a notice to the Union Ministry of Defence and Air Force officials, and asked them to file their responses within four weeks, according to a report in Bar and Bench.
The matter will come up for hearing on May 10.
In her plea, the woman IAF officer alleged that the accused repeatedly demanded sexual favours from her and passed objectionable comments against her. She also accused the IAF officer of touching her inappropriately.
“He touched her on her shoulder from behind and made lewd remarks with lustful eyes and demeanor, ‘Le tujhe touch kiya ab kaise karegi apne aap ko sanitise?” the petition said.
The haassment started when the lady was posted at the Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Squadron at Jammu where the accused officer was her senior. Later, she was posted to Awantipore where her husband is serving the IAF as an officer. She remained there for more than two years before being posted to Jammu again.
“The respondent tried to cross his limits and he passed a lewd and sexually coloured remark/comment isko hath lagao toh current lagta hai. Petitioner firmly told him not to pass such lewd comments,” the plea stated.
After making a formal petition to the ICC (internal complaints committee), the lady officer lodged an FIR against her senior on December 18, 2020. The accused got bail and has finally approached the High Court for quashing the criminal case against him.
In the plea, the woman officer also mentioned the unfair manner of inquiry by the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
The lady officer has accused the ICC of intimidating her and her witnesses during 6-days of cross-examination. The woman officer has now sought a direction to the ICC to hold a fair inquiry and also prayed for the transfer of the accused person so that he does not harass her and other witnesses.