Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) Sept 30: An Indian Air Force officer (IAF) accused a fellow lieutenant of raping her on campus at the IAF's Administrative College in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu on September 10. But the incident took a turn for the worse when the victim also alleged that the IAF college authorities were hostile and subjected her to the banned two-finger vaginal test.

 

The complainant, a 28-year-old officer was on training at the IAF's Administrative College and she accused 29-year-old flight lieutenant Amitesh Harmukh of raping her. She complained to the college authorities but she alleged the unhelpful attitude of the authorities. She said apart from the intrusive and banned two-finger test, she was asked about her sexual history also.  

 

The victim filed a complaint with the local Coimbatore Police on September 20 after she was not satisfied with the way things were being handled by the IAF college authorities. The accused officer was arrested on Monday, September 26 by all women police following the complaint.

 

The woman officer says that the evidence was also tampered with. According to the FIR, the woman officer told that she was raped in the premises of Air Force Administrative College in Coimbatore. However, the IAF demanded that the custody of the accused be handed over to the IAF as he was an air force officer and the civilian courts didn't have jurisdiction in the matter. The airforce authorities said that the case would be tried in the Air Force court and court-martial held.

 

The accused lieutenant's lawyer and the Indian Air Force on Monday independently argued in the Additional Women's Court in Coimbatore that the police had no jurisdiction in the matter.

 

But the court extended the custody of the accused till September 30 and said it would decide on the jurisdiction of the case on that day.

 

According to the FIR lodged by the rape victim, the woman officer said that on September 9 she got injured while playing basketball. She went for treatment at the camp medical clinic and was prescribed medicines. Later she joined her fellow officers in the Officer's Mess and had a couple of drinks. The second drink was bought by Amitesh Harmukh, she alleged in her complaint. Soon after the victim vomited and her friends a male and female officer dropped her in the room.

 

When she woke up, she found the accused forcing himself on her. She tried to fight back but was unable to. She was not fully conscious but recalled that she was recalled parts of the incident and also found semen on her bedsheets.

 

She complained to senior officials in the training camp but the victim didn't like the way the case was being handled by the IAF authorities. She decided to then file a complaint with the Coimbatore Police. 

 

Woman's two-finger test done

 

The woman officer has alleged that on September 11, she was asked to meet two faculty members, who gave her two options - either to file a complaint or to give a written statement that everything was consensual. Along with this, the woman was instructed to go to the Air Force Hospital. The doctors asked the woman about her sexual history and did a physical examination of her private parts. The woman said, later she learnt that the two-finger test was banned by the Supreme Court as it is not reliable. 

 

Meanwhile, the National Commission For Women wrote to Air Chief Marshal regarding the victim woman Air Force officer being allegedly subjected to the banned two-finger test by doctors after she complained about sexual assault. The NCW urged the Air Chief Marshal to look into the matter.