NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force’s General Court Martial (GCM) instituted to look into the accidental shooting down of an Mi-17 V5 in February 2019 has recommended dismissal of a Group Captain related to the incident.
Sources said the GCM ordered the dismissal of Group Captain Suman Roy Chowdhury, who was serving then as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Srinagar Air Force Station.
As per the Court of Inquiry, the attack helicopter was struck by the IAF's own surface-to-air missile on February 27, 2019 -- the day Indian and Pakistani air forces were engaged in a dogfight.
However, it is yet to be sent to the IAF chief as the matter is sub judice in the High Court of Punjab and Haryana.
“The verdict of the GCM is subject to confirmation by the competent authority. Hence, the officer has not been dismissed from service till the said confirmation," a defence source said.
Sources said the IAF can only act on the GCM's recommendation after a decision on a case relating to the incident by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
As per the sources, last month the High Court of Punjab and Haryana allowed the GCM to pronounce its verdict while stating that it must not be implemented till it disposes of the case, which is awaited.
According to laid down norms, the Chief of Air Staff has to give an approval on the recommendation of the GCM for sacking of the official.
On the morning of February 27, 2019, a day after the Balakot air strike, fighter jets of India and Pakistan were involved in a duel over the Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir near the Line of Control (LoC). The Mi-17V5 had crashed in the Budgam area shortly after take-off from Srinagar killing all six personnel on board and one civilian on the ground.
The Court of Inquiry ordered to investigate the crash had put the responsibility on at least four officers, including a Group Captain.