CAT notice to UP govt on Amitabh Thakur’s suspension

Thakur was suspended earlier this month after he lodged a complaint with Hazratganj police against Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav alleging a telephone threat from him.

The CJM has called for a report from the Hazratganj police station and has fixed August 4 as the next date of hearing, the IPS officer’s wife, Nutan Thakur, said. Thakur was informed by the Hazratganj police station inspector that his complaint had been disposed off as it was found not be true. CAT has also issued notice to IPS officer VK Gupta, who is the inquiry officer in the case. Thakur had challenged this order saying as per Rule 8(6) of the All India Services Discipline and Appeal Rules, an inquiry officer can be appointed only after hearing from the officer “in person”, under Rule 8(5).

Meanwhile, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has issued notice to the Central and state governments on Thakur’s petition challenging his suspension.

The UP government had suspended IPS officer Amitabh Thakur on 13 July 2015 and had appointed the Enquiry Officer on 14 July.

In his case the charge sheet was issued on July 13 and received by him on July 15 but even before Mr Thakur submitted his reply on July 16, the state government appointed the inquiry officer “in utter violation” of the Rules.

Thakur said when the State government only recently reinstated NRHM accused Pradeep Yadav and Allahabad commissioner B K Singh and Fatehpur DM Rakesh Kumar, suspended for illegal mining, given his charges he has all the rights to get reinstated.