The Indian Army has ordered a Court of Inquiry in Gujarat’s Vadodara against a major general who allegedly sent obscene messages and videos to female cadets of the National Cadet Corps, The Indian Express reported on Friday, quoting unidentified officials in the Army headquarters. The officer is also accused of financial impropriety.

A Court of Inquiry is a tribunal set up to investigate a matter and decide if the accused should be subjected to a court martial. The allegations against the officer pertain to his tenure in Gujarat. He is now posted in another state.

The Court of Inquiry is required to investigate complaints by several cadets who alleged that the officer sent them obscene messages on WhatsApp and via text. The Court of Inquiry has also been asked to access the content, including WhatsApp messages stored in Google Cloud platforms, of all mobile phones concerned with the case.

“The officer has said in his defence that his mobile phone was compromised and someone sent messages from it,” an unidentified senior officer said. The major general is also accused of unauthorised expenditure on advertisements released to the media and harassing junior officers.

On Tuesday, Army chief Bipin Rawat said any case of moral turpitude and corruption in the Army will be dealt with sternly. In August, a Court of Inquiry held Major Leetul Gogoi guilty of “fraternising” with a local resident at a hotel in Srinagar and issued orders to initiate disciplinary action against him.

Gogoi was detained on May 23 after he was involved in an altercation at a hotel in Srinagar. He was allegedly trying to check into the hotel with a woman, reportedly in violation of Army protocol in a conflict zone.