Thursday, April 28 2005 17:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Two IAF officials against whom one of their woman colleague Anjali Gupta has filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment today (Apr 28, 2005) failed to appear before the police for investigations.

Police said Sqdn Ldr R S Choudhary and Wg Cdr V C Cyriac, chief administrative officer at the Aircraft Systems and Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bangalore, were served notices yesterday asking them to appear before the investigating authorities of the HAL police station today.

The officials who were expected to turn up for enquiry before 15:30 hrs (IST), did not appear, police said.

The officials have told the police that they have to seek permission of their superior authorities for appearing before the police.

Gupta, who filed the complaint in February, however refused to accept the police notice and she too did not appear for the enquiry.

Gupta, the first woman IAF official to face court marshal proceedings for various charges including insubordination, indiscipline and financial irregularities, has been taken into custody today by IAF to "prevent her from harming herself".

The police had given an endorsement earlier to Gupta to sort out the issue at her department level.