5 days ago
1
The Delhi High Court has upheld the dismissal of a erstwhile Indian Air Force (IAF) airman who was removed from work aft helium uploaded a video connected societal media criticising disparities betwixt officers and airmen successful the equipped forces.
The Court dismissed the petition filed by Sachin Kumar Solanki, affirming the Armed Forces Tribunal’s determination that upheld his removal from work nether the Air Force Act.
The lawsuit stem from a video uploaded connected Facebook successful January 2017, successful which Mr. Solanki, portion successful uniform, alleged unequal attraction betwixt officers and jawans successful matters specified arsenic ration facilities, uniforms, question arrangements, allowances and societal presumption wrong the force.
Consequently, a Court of Inquiry was assembled to inquire into the circumstances relating to the uploading of the video and successful August 2017 the Show Cause Notice was issued. As a last administrative action, Mr. Solakni was by an bid connected December 2, 2017 removed from service. The authorities reasoned that Mr. Solanki was progressive successful “undesirable activities, which are amerciable and prejudicial to Service discipline, norms and ethos”.
It said his acts was “unbecoming of a subordinate of a combatant unit similar the IAF”.
Mr. Solakni challenged the determination earlier the Armed Force Tribunal which got dismissed connected October 17, 2025. Before the High Court, helium constricted his arguments to
“violation of principles of earthy justice; anemic intelligence state/dissatisfaction and vexation of the Petitioner with the forces owing to household circumstances starring to signaling of the video”. He further argued that the punishment of removal from work is “shockingly disproportionate”.
The Court, successful its May 19 order, said Mr. Solanki acted successful a mode which is prohibited by assorted provisions of the Air Force Order, which required him to support bully bid and subject arsenic per the rules.
It noted that the video was not lone uploaded connected his Facebook account, but besides got circulated connected assorted societal media platforms, which tarnished the representation of the IAF. The Court said, “it is not conducive of a subordinate of the forces to instrumentality an excuse of intelligence information erstwhile helium is bound by the Air Force Act and is expected to not enactment successful a mode unbecoming of a antheral successful uniform”.
It ruled that the punishment of removal from work “cannot beryllium said to beryllium truthful outrageously disproportionate arsenic to daze the conscience of this Court”.
