CAT issues notices to Guj govt, stays action against Sreekumar

Ahmedabad, May 1 (UNI) The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) today issued notices to the Gujarat government on a petition filed by senior police official R B Sreekumar, challenging the charge-sheet against him on the basis of his deposition before the Godhra Inquiry Commission and stayed all departmental proceedings against him.

The notices are returnable by May 12 and no action can be taken against him till then, a CAT bench ruled.

It said that the charge-sheet issued on September 9, 2005 is 'hit' by Section 6 of the Commission of Inquiry Act as charges have been framed in respect of evidence given by Mr Sreekumar before the Nanavati-Shah Commission, probing the Sabarmati Express carnage and the riots that followed.

Mr Sreekumar's counsel N H Seervai had drawn attention of the bench to the rule 8 of the All India Service Conduct Rules and cited an Apex court judgement in Kehar Singh Vs Delhi administration case, to plead his case.

He also pointed that no inquiry officer had been appointed and the charge-sheet is accordingly being challenged on the ground that it is contrary to law.

The CAT bench said that as an interim relief it is directed that no further action against the police officer should be taken till next date of hearing.

The nine-point chargesheet mainly contained the charges of leaking secret intelligence reports without official sanction, maintaining a private diary and tape containing conversations with government officials and revealing it to the media.

Mr Sreekumar, currently an Additional Director General of Police, had moved the CAT against the Gujarat government, for not promoting him after he did not ''toe government line'' while deposing before the Nanavati-Shah Commission.

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