PIL in SC against suspension of UP IAS officer Durga Sakthi

The suspension of Uttar Pradesh IAS officer Durga Sakthi Nagpal, who had cracked down on illegal sand mining, today reached the Supreme Court with the filing of a public interest litigation seeking quashing of all proceedings against her.

The UP government and the Centre have been made respondents in the petition filed by advocate M L Sharma.

Contending that the action taken against Nagpal was arbitrary, unconstitutional and malafide, the PIL has sought quashing of all proceedings against the 2010 batch IAS officer who had clamped down on the mining mafia in Gautam Budh Nagar area of UP.

The 28-year-old Sub-Divisional Magistrate was suspended on July 27 ostensibly for ordering the demolition of the wall of an under-construction mosque in a village in Noida without following the due process.

The UP government had on August 4 served a charge sheet on the officer, asking her to submit an explanation for her conduct.

Coming out in support of Nagpal, Congress President and the Chairperson of National Advisory Council (NAC) Sonia Gandhi has written a letter to the Prime Minister, saying that she should not be "unfairly treated".

The Prime Minister had yesterday said the Centre was in touch with the state authorities on the issue and laid down rules will be followed.