Tribunal gives relief to army doctor facing misconduct charge

An army doctor facing charges of sexual misconduct has got partial relief from the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) after fighting a court battle for more than two decades.

Lieutenant Colonel Bedi of the army medical corps (AMC), who was posted in the army’s central command in Lucknow in the mid-1980s, was court martialled in 1985 on grounds of misbehaving with a patient.

The doctor faced an inquiry and disciplinary action was ordered. He was found guilty and cashiered from service without pension.

The woman in question went to the doctor with a stomach ache, but while examining her the doctor touched other parts of her body. The woman filed a complaint against him and it was later found that other patients have had similar experiences with him.

For two decades, Bedi fought for his pension in Delhi high court. The case was transferred to the tribunal last year, and his punishment was partially relaxed.

His sentence of cashiering was converted to retirement and his pension was restored. The officer was also asked to pay a fine of Rs50,000. The money will be given to the people who convened the court martial.