MHA suspends IPS officer Rajnish Rai responsible for arresting Vanzara in Sohrabuddin case

The Union Home Ministry has suspended Gujarat-cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rajnish Rai for his alleged role in "abdicating" his office on November 30 as the Inspector General and Principal of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) training school at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh.

The 52-year-old 1992-batch IPS officer, who had arrested DG Vanzara and two other IPS officers in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh alleged fake encounter case in 2007, was placed under suspension as per December 17 order passed by the Home Ministry under the provisions of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules.

Rai will have to stay at the CRPF headquarters at Chittoor during the period the order remains in force, and cannot leave the headquarters without the permission of the Director General CRPF, said the Ministry order.

Rai had earlier this year sought voluntary retirement from November 30 after completing 50 years of age under the provisions of the All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement Benefit) Rules, 1958, but the Centre rejected his request in October.

He moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in Ahmedabad challenging the rejection. The CAT will be hearing the matter on January 1.

In August 2014, Rai was transferred out of Gujarat as Chief Vigilance Officer of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) at Jaduguda in Jharkhand. In April 2015, he was transferred to the CRPF office at Shillong.

After his report on suspected fake encounters in the North-East, he was transferred to the CIAT at Chittoor and a "departmental misconduct" charge sheet was served on him, Rai had alleged.

He moved the CAT at Hyderabad against the chargesheet. The tribunal stayed the proceedings against him.