Chennai: The Central Administrative Tribunal, Madras Bench, has quashed the suspension order of IPS officer Varunkumar who was placed under suspension 19 months back.

The CAT Madras Bench, consisting of Judicial Member Ilango and Administrative member Ramanujam, which allowed the application by Varunkumar, in its order found fault with the suspension order which was “extended mechanically” and cited the procedural lacuna in extending the suspension order.

A complaint was lodged by Varunkumar’s estranged friend Priyadarshini in 2012 with the anti-dowry cell of Chennai Crime Branch alleging breach of promise to marry her for want of dowry.

A 2010 batch IPS officer, Varunkumar joined service as assistant superintendent in September 2013. He was arrested in 2014 because the Supreme Court cancelled his bail.

Before his release on bail in June 2014, he had been placed under deemed suspension on April 20 since the period of custody extended beyond 48 hours, as per rule 3(2) of All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.

In his present application, he said the act for which he had been placed under suspension had no rational connection to the contract of employment between the state and him.

The extension of suspension, which was initially for a period of just 90 days, was done in a routine manner without proper application of mind, he said, adding, the review committee failed to examine whether there were sufficient grounds for continuation of suspension.

He was served with another extension of suspension on April 20, 2015. In doing so, government had clearly acted in contravention of the apex court dictum that no government servant should be kept under suspension for a period exceeding 90 days if no charge sheet or charge memo is served within that period, and caused gross injustice to him, he said.

Trial in the case may take several years to complete, and prolonged suspension would cause a lot of agony, prejudice and injustice to him, Varunkumar said.

Stating that the relationship between him and Priyadarshini was merely friendship while preparing for the examination and nothing more, the IPS officer said the woman had now married an advocate in February this year and settled in New Delhi, whereas he was still suffering the ignominy, ridicule and stigma of remaining under suspension for more than a year.

PTI