IPS officer wants amendment in suspension rules

Citing the suspension of IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal as one of many such in Uttar Pradesh, an IPS officer Monday sent a representation to the central government proposing certain changes in the procedure to be followed in such cases.

IPS officer Amitabh Thakur told IANS he has personally suffered when he was suddenly suspended in December 2004 only to be found not guilty in May 2007.

Thakur, in his representation to the secretary of the department of personnel and training cited information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act about many suspended police officers and engineers in the state who were later found innocent or not guilty.

Thakur, currently posted as superintendent of police (Rules and Manual), said this suggested the possibility of anomalies and discrepancies in the suspension process.

As per the representation, though the Supreme Court said the employer has a right to suspend his employee pending an inquiry into his conduct, another ruling by the apex court says the order of suspension shall not to be passed in a routine manner because it has disastrous impacts on the employee.

Thakur has suggested that the suspension related rules should be amended so that they are resorted to after proper application of mind, only where there are substantial facts and reasons for suspension.

Also, in all such cases where these charges were not substantiated or the employee is completely exonerated, the case shall be scrutinised to fix responsibility of the officers who played key roles in such suspension. The officer suspended shall be suitably compensated for his pains, travails and humiliation.