Chandigarh/New Delhi, Jan. 29: A lady officer of the army is likely to be court martialled after an internal investigation found evidence that she demanded a bribe while appearing as a judge advocate in another court martial.

The officer was employed in the judge advocate general’s department — judicial branch — of the army. Major Dimple Singla could be the second officer in the armed forces to face a general court martial after Anjali Gupta of the air force in 2005.

The recommendations of an internal court of inquiry are now being studied by the general officer commanding the army’s Ambala-headquartered II corps. The court of inquiry was ordered in end-2005. The major was “attached” with an engineers’ brigade at Zirakpur in Patiala district pending the court martial.

Charges are being framed against the major on two grounds. First, she is alleged to have demanded a bribe while appearing as judge advocate in a court martial. Second, she is alleged to have recommended and tried to get a favoured lawyer appointed for the accused.

Unlike Gupta — who was cashiered from the air force — the major is not known to have publicly levelled charges of harassment and gender discrimination. But as long as the legal process within the army against her is pending, she cannot be expected to go public with her case.