New Delhi: Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari on Tuesday said that no ‘two-finger test’ was conducted on a woman who accused a fellow IAF officer of rape at an Air Force Academy in Coimbatore, and asserted that disciplinary action will be taken against the guilty.
At a press conference ahead of Air Force Day on October 8, the newly-appointed Chief of Air Chief said the rules of the IAF in such incidents are “very strict” and punitive action will be taken based on the report of a high-level inquiry into the case.
“Let me assure you that the Air Force law is very strict on any such incidents. The two-finger test that you have mentioned is misreported. I can confirm to you that this test was not done and we are well aware of the rules,” Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said.
He was replying to a question on allegations by the victim that she was subjected to the outlawed test at a medical facility of the Indian Air Force.
A flight lieutenant was arrested by the Tamil Nadu Police for allegedly sexually assaulting the 28-year-old woman officer on September 10 in an Air Force academy.
The woman officer levelled serious charges against IAF authorities, including subjecting her to the banned finger test and also forcing her to withdraw the complaint against the flight lieutenant.
A local court in Coimbatore last week directed the police to hand over the case to the IAF.
The woman officer had asked for a police investigation, alleging pressure and intimidation from her superiors.
Following the court order, the accused official was handed over by the police to the IAF for a court-martial.
Also read: Flight lieutenant ‘admitted to rape on video’, I was intimidated by IAF officers, survivor says