According to Dutch historian Harry A. Poeze, Soekotjo commanded a platoon of the Brawijaya Division and had captured left-wing revolutionary leader Tan Malaka.

Poeze wrote that Soekotjo ordered Tan Malaka's execution by one of his men, Suradi Tekebek, on 21 February 1949, and buried his body in a grave in the middle of a forest.

[1] Some time before the 30 September movement in 1965, he had been assigned as commander of the military district (Kodim) in Surabaya with the rank of colonel.

The following year, Soekotjo formed a team of officials and architects to create a master plan for the city's redevelopment.

[4] Later in his mayoralship, he ordered a review into the city's foundation date, previously set to 1906 as per the colonial founding year.