Wednesday, September 21 2005 20:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: The IAF court of inquiry headed by a top woman officer into charges of sexual harassment leveled by Flying Officer Anjali Gupta against three of her Superiors restarted here today (Sept 21, 2005).

The inquiry is headed by Air Marshal Padma Bandopadhyay, the senior-most woman officer of IAF. She replaced Air Vice Marshal V R Iyer who headed it when the proceedings first began in early May.

Unlike the General Court Martial (GCM) trying Gupta on charges of insubordination, indiscipline and irregularities, the proceedings at this enquiry are not open to the members of the public and media.

An IAF official said Gupta did not appear before the court of inquiry. The team headed by Air Marshal Bandopadhyay went through the files pertaining to Gupta's allegations.

The inquiry stopped its proceedings in May after receiving orders from the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief seeking to reconvene it after the completion of GCM, as Gupta expressed her inability to attend the inquiry proceedings during the court martial.

GCM, meanwhile, adjourned its proceedings indefinitely on September 12 following the indisposition of one of its jury members.