Monday, May 16 2005 18:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: A military court in Bangalore formally commenced trial of IAF Flying Officer Anjali Gupta by arraigning all the seven charges against her relating to financial irregularities, insubordination and indiscipline.

The Court, hearing General Court Martial (GCM) proceedings against her, disallowed her plea for releasing her from 'close arrest' and praying for 20 days time to arrange for a civil defence counsel.

Judge Advocate Sq. Ldr Suhag read out the seven charges against Gupta, who is working at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment in Bangalore, in the open Court.

Gupta refused to respond to the charges when asked if she would plead guilty or not guilty. She alleged that GCM was 'forced on her' and the Court was not "listening" to her request to have a civil defence counsel.

She insisted that she would not "utter a word", as she does not have a civil defence counsel but showed no emotions.

The Judge Advocate observed that, since she has not responded, the court would record it as "pleaded not guilty".

When IAF Prosecutor Wg. Cdr R R Dubay suggested that she can engage the services of civil defence counsel by tomorrow (May 17, 2005) morning, Gupta responded: "I can't bring my defence counsel from sky".

Earlier, the Court, presided over by Group Captain V Ganesh, found some portions of her written submission on the efforts to engage the services of a civil counsel with defence background to argue her case effectively and properly as being 'disrespectful' and 'casting aspersions' on it.

The Court said that it amounted to contempt of court and it could take "hard and harsh" action against her. The Judge Advocate and the Presiding Officer threw away her written submission and asked her to take it back.

Gupta refused to do so and remarked: "I can't pick up papers like this". She, however, 'reformatted' the submission later by deleting those portions.