Lt Col Mithali to remain in service

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, October 15

The Supreme Court today directed the Army not to retire Lt Col Mithali Madhumita, the first woman officer to get gallantry award, from service till the disposal of her plea for permanent commission (PC).

A Bench comprising Justices TS Thakur and Kurian Joseph clarified that Lt Col Mithali would be entitled to salaries and other benefits, but not to pension, which would depend on her winning the case.

Mithali was slated to retire on November 14 and go on terminal leave from October 17. But this would not happen now.

Mithali’s counsel Aishwarya Bhati pleaded that the Army had denied her PC despite her distinguished service for 17 years and posting in strife-torn Afghanistan. She was the first female officer to win a gallantry award. She saved several lives following the February 26, 2010, Taliban attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul.