IPS officer in UP challenges extension of suspension

The Uttar Pradesh government acted illegally in prolonging the suspension of IPS officer Amitabh Thakur despite a contrary order of the central government, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has been told.

The state government has refused to comply with a central government order that said his suspension stands revoked from October 11, 2015, Amitabh Thakur, the suspended Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, said before the Lucknow bench of CAT.

Thakur was suspended by the state government on July 13, 2015, after he lodged a police complaint against Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav for allegedly threatening him over the phone.

The suspension has since been extended.

Thakur has challenged his suspension in the CAT.

He told the CAT that the state government decided to continue with his suspension despite receiving a letter from the central government, dated March 31, 2016, which quashed the suspension with effect from October 11, 2015.

The central government passed the order under Rule 19(2) of All India Services Discipline and Appeal Rules, which the state government must comply with under the same rules as well as also under Article 256 of the Constitution, Thakur told the CAT.

He prayed before the CAT to direct the state government to comply with the central government order and to reinstate him immediately.

The IPS officer and his wife Nutan Thakur are well known for their outspokenness on corruption and filing of dozens of public interest litigation petitions (PILs).