Uma Gupta in Bangalore on Wednesday. (PTI)

Bangalore, April 28: The Indian Air Force today said Flying Officer Anjali Gupta, under ?close arrest? after being accused of financial irregularities, indiscipline and other charges, will be under constant watch ?to prevent her from harming herself?.

An IAF spokesperson said the vigil on the officer, who has accused three seniors of sexual harassment, would continue till the general court martial (GCM) concludes its sitting at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) here.

?As per IAF rules, she was put under close arrest on April 8, 96 hours before the opening sitting of the GCM (April 12). She will be under constant watch because she told the Karnataka State Commission for Women that she is on the verge of taking her life because of harassment,? the spokesperson said. ?Her mother, Uma Gupta, has also expressed fears that she could take an extreme step,? he added.

The spokesperson said Anjali, the first woman in the air-strike wing to face court martial, will not be allowed to attend office, leave the ASTE campus or interact with visitors. However, she will be allowed to meet relatives, colleagues and the defending officer.

The 30-year-old, the youngest of three daughters from a middle-class family from Delhi, has an MPhil in psychology from Delhi University. She was commissioned in the education wing of the IAF in 2000 and served for a year at the Air Force Station in Belgaum, Karnataka, before being transferred to ASTE in early 2003. In October 2004, the IAF commenced a summary of evidence, a step before constitution of the general court martial.

Anjali moved Delhi High Court, accusing three senior IAF officers of ?actions amounting to sexual harassment?. The petition was dismissed.

In February, she lodged a complaint against the three officers in a local police station and, earlier this month, filed a petition in Karnataka High Court seeking a CBI probe against them and corruption in the force.

The GCM today commenced the process of Anjali?s arraignment by reading out the first charge of financial irregularity.

The presiding officer, Group Captain V. Ganesh, granted Anjali time till tomorrow morning to plead guilty or not to the charge that she drew Rs 1,080 in March 2004 to travel from the IAF training command here to the IAF training college, also in Bangalore, on five days. The GCM?s contention is that she did not travel by car but availed some other mode of transport.

In the harassment case, two of the officers Anjali named, Squadron Leader R.S. Choudhary and Wing Commander V.C. Cyriac of ASTE, did not turn up at the HAL police station today. They were served notices on Wednesday and asked to meet the investigating officer today.