Chhattisgarh IPS Officer Gurjinder Pal Singh (IPS:1994:CG) got a sigh of relief after the Supreme Court dismissed the central government’s plea against the setting aside of an order of compulsory retirement against him. The IPS officer faced allegations of corruption, extortion, and sedition, after which he was compulsorily retired from service by the Union government last year.
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti passed the order. The Union government had challenged a Delhi High Court order, which had upheld the decision of the Central Administrative Tribunal setting aside Singh’s compulsory retirement.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union, submitted that the central government has power to “weed out dead wood” and the order of compulsory retirement is neither stigmatic nor should it be taken as a punishment. But the argument failed to get a favorable result from the court.
Singh’s counsel described the charges against him as ‘frame up’ decrying the government’s action of compulsory retirement.
The officer had challenged the central government’s decision to compulsorily retire him before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The Tribunal ruled in his favour and directed reinstatement with all consequential benefits.
The Union government then challenged this order before the High Court, but the plea was rejected. Now the highest court has rejected the government’s plea giving a major respite to the distraught IPS officer.
