Court of Inquiry ordered against Major Gogoi

Srinagar, May 25: The army on Friday ordered a Court of Inquiry against Major L Gogoi who was detained along with a local girl by police for questioning from a hotel here this week.
“Army has ordered a Court of Inquiry against Major Gogoi of 53 Rashtriya Rifles regarding an incident that occurred on May 23.
“If found guilty, appropriate action would be taken against him,” Defence Ministry spokesman, Col Rajesh Kalia said.
Sources also said that Gogoi’s commanding officer is being shifted out for alleged lack of command and control over his subordinates.
They also said that Gogoi has been taken off from field duties and attached to headquarters till the completion of the inquiry.
The two-member Court of Inquiry panel will probe the matter and recommends what action should be taken against Major Gogoi if he is found guilty of involvement in any unlawful activity.
General Rawat earlier said that no officer at any rank in the force will be spared if they have done anything wrong. “If any officer of the Indian Army, at any rank, does anything wrong, appropriate action will be taken against them. If Major Gogoi has done something wrong, I assure you that strict action will be taken against them. And the action will be such that it will set an example for the future,” he said.
Major Gogoi along with the woman was taken to a police station from where he was handed over to his unit.
Police said that at 11 am they got a call from Hotel Grand Mamta about an altercation at the hotel. “A police party was deputed to the hotel and it surfaced that a girl (name withheld) and a man identified as Sameer Ahmed of Budgam had come to see some person,” a police statement said.
“But the hotel reception did not allow them to meet the person. Meanwhile, police reached the spot and got all the persons to the police station.
“Subsequently it was learnt that the woman had come to meet an Army officer. The identity and particulars of the Army officer have been collected by the police.
“The official was handed over to (his) unit after recording their statements. The statement of the woman is also being recorded,” the police said.
Major Gogoi is the same officer who had stirred a row in 2017 after photos had gone viral in which a local was tied to the bonnet of his vehicle in Budgam district to avoid stone pelting incident.