A N Roy gets extention as DGP till Nov 24

Mumbai, Nov 19 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today permitted Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) A N Roy to continue in the office till November 24.

Making an argument before a division bench, comprising of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice S A Bobde, state advocate general Ravi Kadam vehemently denied the allegations that Mr Roy's appointment to the top post was a planned operation by a political party to install its candidate as the chief of the state police during the election year.

He said the government had not manipulated the office and had rather given preference to merit.

Appearing on behalf of Mr Roy, senior advocate Iqbal Chagla also denied the allegation made by Director General of Home Guards and Civil Defence S Chakravarthy and contended that Mr Roy was not a candidate of any political party, nor was having any political leanings as alleged by Mr Chakarvarthy.

He said Mr Roy, in his career spanning 35 years, had maintained independence and did not have any godfathers, political or otherwise.

Mr Roy's appointment as DGP had come under a cloud, when Mr Chakravarthy had moved the Central Administrative Tribunal, challenging the state's decision, to appoint Mr Roy against three other officials, including Mr Chakravarthy, who were senior to him.

Upholding Mr Chakravarthy's contentions, the CAT on October 8 had set aside Mr Roy's appointment as ''illegal'' and observed that the state was bound to consider the three other contenders.

Soon afterwards, the CAT order was challenged in the Bombay High Court by Mr Roy and the government.

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