A Flight Lieutenant at the Indian Air Force College in Redfields, Coimbatore has been arrested for allegedly raping an officer. The accused had been booked under Section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code. The arrested officer has been sent to judicial custody and is currently lodged at Udumalaipet jail. The Coimbatore police told the media that further investigation is underway and the issue of jurisdiction is also being discussed.
The woman IAF officer was reportedly sexually assaulted at the Coimbatore Air Force Administrative College. The incident allegedly took place two weeks ago and the woman officer had reportedly filed a complaint with the IAF authorities but no action was taken since. A complaint was later filed with the the Coimbatore police and the complainant has reportedly stated that she was not satisfied with the inquiry done by the IAF authorities.
The 29-year-old officer, who lives in the college facilities, sustained an injury while playing a sport on September 10. Following this, she is reported to have taken medication and gone to sleep in her room. However, when she woke up in the night, she realised she had been allegedly sexually assaulted. Thirty officers had started training at the college last month.
She complained to the Coimbatore Police Commissioner's office, who directed the All Women's Police Station in Gandhipuram to carry out an investigation. Following the investigation, Flight Lieutenant Amitesh from Chhattisgarh was escorted to a judge’s home where he was made to surrender. Amitesh's lawyer had submitted in court that the Coimbatore police do not have authority to conduct an investigation against Air Force personnel, further adding that a trial must be conducted at a defense court. Police have asked for time to file a counter affidavit.