Chargesheet to be filed in a week,court told

Maintaining that the Chandigarh Police have conducted a fair and transparent investigation in the case,the senior standing counsel strongly opposed the demand of transfer of investigation to CBI.

Kaushal rubbished the accusations made by Karamjit Singh,petitioner in a public interest litigation (PIL). When asked about the status of the investigation,Kaushal submitted that though a chargesheet has been filed prior to filing of the PIL by Karamjit Singh,a supplementary chargesheet will be filed within a week before the trial court.

Raising eyebrows over the conduct of the petitioner,Kaushal contended that “not only the petitioner is estopped but does not even have any locus standi to impeach or agitate qua the process of recruitment”. Taking a dig at the petitioner,Kaushal said: “The very fact that the petitioner himself availed his chance and had voluntarily participated in the recruitment process for the post of Director Physical Education (DPE) raises suspicion and rightly so,regarding the petitioner’s bonafides and motives in approaching the High Court.”

Terming it a “publicity stunt”,Kaushal said,“The PIL has been filed only with the purpose to gain publicity and to harass the officers of the Administration for terminating his (petitioner) services.”

Significantly,the senior standing counsel said the petitioner before filing the PIL had moved an application before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in October 2009,which is pending adjudication before the Tribunal. The PIL was filed in November 2009 by the petitioner. “The petitioner cannot be allowed to raise the same issue and have recourse before two judicial forums simultaneously for the same cause. The present PIL is a clear and manifest abuse of process of law and deserves to be dismissed summarily on this ground alone,” reads the reply.

Terming the allegations levelled against the Administration as totally “false,reckless,unfounded,untenable,patently misconceived and vague” the reply states that since Karamjit failed to get interim relief from the Tribunal,he moved the High Court.

The Administration has submitted that the petitioner had also worked as a DPE on contract basis with Chandigarh Administration in the Government Model Secondary School,Sector 47,Chandigarh. His service was terminated by an order dated July 23,2009,on account of awarding corporal punishment to students.