The General Court Martial (GCM) here arraigned Indian Air Force (IAF) flying officer Anjali Gupta, setting the stage for her trial Tuesday on charges of financial irregularities, insubordination and indiscipline.

Amidst four-five adjournments during the daylong proceedings, the GCM Monday rejected Gupta's plea for 20 days' time to help her engage a civil defence counsel for arguing on her behalf.

When GCM presiding officer Group Captain V. Ganesh told Gupta that she would be given only two days to file her petition either questioning the GCM's jurisdiction or the court-martialling process, the flying officer said: "This court is being forced on me without a defence counsel."

Earlier, the GCM directed the Aircraft Systems and Testing Establishment (ASTE), where Gupta is posted, to release her salary for the last three months and produce the pay book after she expressed inability to engage a defence counsel for want of funds.

When the ASTE released her salary by afternoon, Gupta sought at least three weeks' time to select an advocate of her choice from across the country.

The GCM, however, rejected her plea and directed the prosecution to commence the trial Tuesday after judge advocate Squadron Leader S. Suhag read out all the seven charges framed against Gupta.

Since Gupta maintained silence when all the charges were read out, Ganesh declared that her "silence implied she was not pleading guilty".

The prosecution, represented by Wing Commander D.R. Dubey, said he would prove the charges by summoning witnesses and relevant documents.

Last week, the GCM adjourned for five days in order to facilitate Gupta to hire a defence counsel as per her request and on the grounds that defending officer Wing Commander Vijay Bhupesh was not in agreement with her to question the terms of the GCM's jurisdiction.

A court of inquiry ordered by the IAF to probe the sexual harassment charges levelled by Gupta against three of her seniors had adjourned May 11 indefinitely to enable her to concentrate on the GCM proceedings.