SC dismisses PIL challenging IAS Durga Nagpal's suspension

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking quashing of all proceedings against suspended IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who had cracked down on illegal sand mining in Uttar Pradesh.

A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam had last Thursday agreed to take up the PIL and listed it for hearing for Monday, but then deferred the latter till today.

The petitioner had pleaded for an urgent hearing alleging that Nagpal is suffering hardship for following apex court's order on preventing unauthorised construction of religious buildings on public land and the apex court should protect her.

The PIL filed by advocate M L Sharma also made the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre as respondents.

Nagpal was suspended last month ostensibly for taking on the sand mafia and for ordering the demolition of a wall of a mosque that was being built on government land in the state's Gautam Buddh Nagar District, where she was posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

According to reports, the 2009-batch IAS officer had seized nearly 300 trolleys of sand being illegally mined from the Yamuna river bed. Though the Uttar Pradesh Government has called it as an 'administrative decision', against her for demolishing a wall which was part of an intended mosque, but many believe that it was the result of pressure from the mining mafia.

Commenting on Nagpal's suspension, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on August 6 said rules laid down would be followed in the case.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has maintained his stand on the suspension of the IAS officer.

"If an official makes a mistake then the government punishes the official. This is the way government works," Yadav said.

The Samajwadi Party Government's 10-page chargesheet accuses Nagpal of violating norms while ordering the demolition of the wall of a mosque built illegally on government land at Gautam Budh Nagar in Greater Noida.