Army court exonerates military doctor accused of molestation by Major's wife
Aug 18, 2024
New Delhi [India], August 18 : An Army court has exonerated a military doctor of charges of molestation levelled by a Major's wife.
The case had been going on since 2022 when the Major's wife had come to a military hospital in Maharashtra complaining about chest pain. The military doctor of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel had examined the lady and two-three days after that, she levelled charges against the doctor for outraging her modesty.
"This was a case where a doctor with 19 years of service had to face a charge of molestation on a complaint filed by an officer's wife. The GCM has rightly exonerated the Army Doctor of charges of molestation," the doctor's counsel Anand Kumar said.
The officer was facing trial on two charges, which included molestation cases under Section 354 and another one for not following procedures for examining female patients in the presence of a female assistant.
The military court has found the doctor guilty under the second charge and given him a 'severe reprimand' and a loss of 18 months of seniority for pension purposes.
Kumar stated that though the GCM has punished him for failing to ensure the presence of a female assistant during the examination of the complainant, regulations mention that ensuring such compliance was the responsibility of the commanding officer.
Kumar said that justice has been delivered by a Military Court.
The Military Court findings and orders are subject to confirmation by the senior military authorities concerned.
Discussing the statements made in the case, the GCM presided over by a Colonel-rank officer posted in an armoured training centre, observed that there were contradictions in the statements made by the lady and her mother who were together at the time of the medical examination.
The court also pointed out that the statements of other witnesses and the lady are not matching. The court said that during the examination by the doctor, the nurse and the mother of the lady did not hear any disturbance, shrieking or shouting.
The court also pointed out that the line of examination and diagnosis taken by the doctor has been validated by the other experts called as witnesses and can not be doubted.
