Dispose of Rajesh Das’s plea to set aside suspension order: HC to CAT

CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras High Court ordered the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) to dispose of the application filed by suspended IPS officer Rajesh Das within 3 months.

He had challenged the suspension order passed by the State government. Heading the bench along with Justice R Hemalatha, Justice VM Velumani passed the orders.

Das had wanted CAT to dispose of his application to set aside the suspension order at the timeframe fixed by the court. “The inordinate delay in considering my application pending with CAT Chennai has resulted in serious prejudice against me since my entire life and career have been severely affected,” Das submitted.

He added that the delay is helping the State from extending the suspension order, which otherwise was passed without following any due process of law. “The CAT ought to have considered the fact that the entire proceedings were flawed by the failure to follow the due process of law, denial of a reasonable opportunity to the defense, non-consideration of materials independently while issuing the order, and the issuing charge memo ought to have considered the matter on merit,” he submitted.

Recording the submissions, the judges directed CAT to dispose of the petition within 3 months.

Das was suspended from the service on charges of sexually harassing a woman IPS officer who was on duty to extend bandobust to a former CM in 2020.