Major Gogoi Found Guilty In Srinagar Hotel Case, Likely To Be Court-Martialed
Image Credits: The Indian Express
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On Monday, the Army’s Court of Inquiry (CoI) ordered disciplinary action against Major Leetul Gogoi, who was detained by police after he was found with a young Kashmiri woman in a hotel in Srinagar. The court held him accountable for “fraternising with locals in spite of instructions to the contrary and for being away from the place of duty while in the operational area.” He will likely to face a court-martial.

According to The Indian Express, after the Corps Commander’s approval of CoI’s findings, the Army authorities will frame charges against the Major as per the relevant provisions of the Army Act. The court will then decide to either punish the officer or convene a court-martial to try the officer.


The inquiry has been ordered

The incident happened on May 23, when the Major was trying to enter a hotel room with an 18-year-old girl. The Hotel authorities did not allow the officer to go inside which lead to an argument. Another man, other than Major Gogoi was also present there. The trio had been questioned by Srinagar police in May this year after an argument erupted at the Hotel Grand Mamta where the staff refused to let the woman in. Additionally, an inquiry has been ordered against the officer as per the Army regulations.

The officer was later handed over to his unit. The Superintendent of Police, North City, Sajad Ahmad Shah, who was asked by IGP (Kashmir) S P Pani to conduct an inquiry in the case, said, the police were told that a room in the hotel had been booked in the name of Leetul Gogoi.

“No case is made out against Gogoi, and neither the hotelier nor the girl had filed any complaint,” told the status report to a Srinagar court on May 31 this year. The Army’s Court of Inquiry (COI), headed by a Brigadier, has taken the testimonies of Major Gogoi and other Army officers concerned.

Earlier, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said, an exemplary punishment would be given to Major Gogoi if he was found guilty of “any offence”.


Human shield case

This is the second controversy that Major Gogoi has landed himself into. Last year, the officer had hit the headline after tying a civilian to a jeep and using him as a shield against stone pelters. The civilian was driving through several villages of Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir during polling in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election on April 9.
Army Chief General Rawat had supported the young officer’s action at that time and honoured him with the Army chief’s ‘Commendation Card’ for his ‘sustained efforts’ in counter-insurgency operations, reported Economic Times.


Also Read: A Year After Being Used As Human Shield, How Farooq Ahmad Dar’s Life Changed

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Editor : The Logical Indian

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