Notice to UT Administrative for suspensions ordered by HS

CHANDIGARH, May 13: A bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal comprising vice-chairman Justice R.K. Nehru and administrative member V.K. Majotra, today issued notice to the Chandigarh Administration for May 18 in a case filed by P.K. Dhawan, inspector, one sub-inspector and head constable of Chandigarh Police, challenging their suspension earlier ordered by Home Secretary, Anuradha Gupta.

The applicants claimed that the Inspector General of Police was the competent authority to suspend an inspector and the Senior Superintendent of Police is empowered to take action against a sub-inspector and head constable and, as such, the orders passed by the Home Secretary were without jurisdiction.

They alleged that their suspension was wholly unjustified because the very purpose of placing an employee under suspension is to ensure he does not tamper with records, whereas in the instant case, the entire record is already with the Administration. The applicants further alleged that in this case, suspension was being used as a means to penalise and harass them even without taking their report from the Inspector General of Police.