SC tells former Jharkhand DGP to go to CAT

New Delhi, Aug 28 (UNI) The Supreme Court has refused to entertain the writ petition filed by former Jharkhand Director General of Police against his removal from the post and has told him to approach the Jharkhand Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) for redressal of his grievance.

The petitioner, Jagat Bandhu Mahapatra, had challenged his removal from the post of DGP on the grounds that it was violative of the judgment of the apex court in the Prakash Singh case dated September 22, 2006, according to which the minimum tenure of a DGP must be two years.

Counsel for the petitioner told the apex court bench comprising Justices P P Naolekar and R V Raveendran that he has been removed from the post before completing even the minimum tenure of two years and the decision to remove him was politically motivated.

B D Ram has been appointed new DGP in his place.

Mahapatra was transferred by the state government on the grounds that the BJP nominee for a parliamentary constituency where byelections are going to be held on August 29 belonged to the community of Mahapatra.

The apex court permitted the petitioner to withdraw his petition with liberty to him to approach the competent court namely state CAT.

The court had earlier told the petitioner that this is not the issue which can be decided under Article 32 of the Constitution of India as remedy under that article is available only in case of violation of fundamental rights of a citizen.

UNI