Army court holds Major Gogoi guilty in Srinagar hotel case

Major Leetul Gogoi, who was detained by police in a Srinagar hotel after he was seen with a local woman in May, has been found guilty of fraternising with a local and being away from his place of duty while in an operational area by a Court of Inquiry, army sources said on Monday.

Orders have been issued to initiate disciplinary action against him, they said.

The court has held him accountable for "fraternising" with a local in spite of instructions to the contrary and "being away from the place of duty while in an operational area", the sources said.

On May 23, police detained Gogoi following an altercation when he was allegedly trying to enter a Srinagar hotel with an 18-year-old woman.

Days later, the Army ordered the CoI into the incident. Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat had said in Pahalgam that exemplary punishment would be given to Gogoi if he was found guilty of “any offence”.

Major Gogoi had hit the headlines last year after he tied a man to a jeep in Kashmir purportedly as a shield against stone pelters during polling in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election on April 9.

General Rawat had, at that time, supported the young officer's action and honoured him with the Army chief's 'Commendation Card' for his 'sustained efforts' in counter-insurgency operations.