IAF plans to move SC against acquittal of Wing Commander

Mander along with four other officers was punished by the general court martial (GCM) for their involvement in the death of an Army soldier, Signalman Girje, who had allegedly misbehaved with the wife of one of the convicted officers. "In absence of evidence, the case against Mander could not stand and the Tribunal said the GCM findings and convictions were not sustainable and ordered his reinstatement," Mander's counsel Major K Ramesh told PTI here.

The Air Force on Tuesday sought a certificate from the Tribunal to appeal against its verdict in the apex court, saying Mander wanted the jawan to be dead as he had illicit relations with the wife of his subordinate officer and the jawan knew about it, he added. "We told the Tribunal that this was the first time IAF had raised this point and this was baseless," Ramesh said.

Agreeing with Mander's contention, the Tribunal refused to give its certificate to the IAF but despite that the force can still approach the Supreme Court by filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP). In its verdict in May, setting aside the GCM order, the Tribunal had said Mander "shall be deemed to be in service till the date of superannuation in the present rank and be entitled to pension thereafter."