Coming to the rescue of an Air Force officer, the Gauhati High Court has quashed disciplinary proceedings initiated against him by the IAF after he was allegedly framed for pointing out corruption in the construction of an airbase for Sukhoi-30 MKIs in Assam.

The court has criticised the role of former Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal S. Varthman and Commandant of National Defence Academy, Air Marshal K. S. Gill for the "abuse and misuse" of the "power and machinery" of the Air Force in framing Air Commodore Mrigendra Singh.

During his posting as Air Officer Commanding at the Chabua airbase, Air Commodore Singh had found the quality of work 'sub-standard' and complained this to his superiors on many occasions. In the meantime, engines of four Sukhoi-30 MKIs were damaged because of the substandard work.

Air Commodore Singh claimed in his petition that even though there was a nexus between the contractor and the then AOC-in-C, Eastern Air Command, he was finally able to blacklist the former.

He alleged that his efforts were not appreciated by the top Air Force brass and falsely accused of sexually exploiting his junior officers' wives. A Court of Inquiry was later instituted against Air Commodore Singh.

The HC found that various irregularities were committed by the Air Force before and during the course of the inquiry and the officer was deliberately targeted.

Also, the role of the Armed Forces Tribunal's Gauhati bench has come under criticism from the High Court, which observed that the AFT bench had passed orders which were "illegal" and "not sustainable in law" while granting no relief to Air Commodore Singh.