Corporal dismissed for illicit relationship; AFT issues notice

The Indian Air Force dismissed a corporal posted at 3 Base Repair Depot (BRD), Chandigarh, for being involved in an illicit relationship with a superior's wife, and blackmailing her over her defamatory Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) here on Thursday. The officer moved to the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) for relief, and a notice has been issued to the Air Force over his petition.

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, maintenance command, dismissed corporal HS Dhillon, 30, on November 28, 2013, for having 'sexual intercourse' with the wife of a sergeant, pre-medicated sedation, and extorting money by threatening to circulate her defamatory MMS.

A complaint was filed against Dhillon on March 17, 2013, by victim's husband, and a Court of Inquiry (CoI) was instituted the next day. After indicting him, a show-cause notice was issued on September 26, 2013.

During the CoI, victim's daughter submitted that Dhillon used to visit their home to meet her mother at night. She also alleged that her mother had gone to a discotheque with him, and he used to beat her.

The victim has two children. Dhillon was dismissed under section 20 (3) of the Air Force Act.

However, Dhillon submitted before the AFT that he knew the woman before his wedding. He admitted that he was in touch with her even after that, while he was posted in Chennai. He was later posted to Chandigarh.

Dhillon also faced a dowry case in July, 2010. He admitted to going to a disco with the victim, but alleged that it was her, who blackmailed him to tell his in-laws about their relationship as he was facing a dowry case.

He described the complaint of victim's husband as a 'concocted, fabricated and false story put forth with malafide intension of causing serious damage to the reputation of the applicant in terms of career and social life'. He said the allegations should have been investigated by the local police.