India
Officer alleging rape did not undergo two-finger test: IAF chief
Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari today said that no "two-finger test" was conducted on a woman officer who had accused a male colleague of rape, thus countering her allegation. He also asserted that disciplinary action will be taken against the accused if found guilty. The alleged incident took place last month at an Air Force Academy in Coimbatore. Here are more details.
'The two-finger test is misreported'
"Let me assure you that the Air Force law is very strict on...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," Chaudhari said.
Alleged sexual assault happened on September 9
The alleged sexual assault took place on September 9. While the survivor was asleep, the accused officer entered her room and raped her, according to the police complaint. She kept pushing him away, although unsuccessfully because of an ankle injury that she had sustained earlier that day. She confronted the accused the next day, who apologized for having invaded her privacy.
Survivor said she was forced to undergo illegal test
The woman officer alleged that she was made to undergo the illegal two-finger test at an Air Force medical facility. She said she was also asked about her "sexual history." The survivor alleged she was asked, multiple times, to either withdraw her complaint or sign a complaint letter with changes made to it. She, however, refused to do that.
Case was transferred to the IAF last week
The survivor said she was dissatisfied with the action taken by the IAF and hence approached the local police. The accused officer, a 29-year-old Flight Lieutenant, was then arrested and sent to judicial custody. However, a court in Coimbatore last week handed over the case to the IAF, following which the force took custody of the accused official.
