IAF sacks Su-30 pilot for illicit affair

A young fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jodhpur has been dismissed from service following a court of inquiry (CoI), which found him guilty of having an extramarital affair with another IAF lady officer, who committed suicide last year.

Flight Lieutenant Ishant Saran was dismissed from service a few days ago, an IAF spokesperson confirmed.

Saran allegedly had an affair with fellow woman IAF officer, Squadron Leader Anindita Das, who was married to Squadron Leader Vishak Nayar. Both Nayar and Saran are Su-30 pilots, while Anindita was in ground operations.

Anindita was found hanging from the ceiling fan in her house on November 29, 2012. There was no suicide note.

Nayar and Anindita joined the IAF in 2006 and got married two years later. The couple did not have any children. Both were posted at the Jodhpur Air Force station and reportedly had an argument the night before the suicide.

The CoI instituted to look into the suicide case implicated Saran for his role in “stealing the affection of a brother officer’s wife.”