SC agrees to hear contempt plea on Nagpal's suspension

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear a contempt plea filed against Uttar Pradesh government for suspending IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal for implementing its order on removing unauthorised religious structures on public land.

A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam posted the plea for hearing on Monday.

The petition has been filed by advocate M L Sharma whose PIL the apex court had earlier refused to entertain while allowing him to file a contempt plea.

Sharma had in his plea contended that action against 28-year-old Nagpal was in contempt of the Supreme Court order on preventing unauthorised construction of religious buildings on public land.

Sharma had moved the contempt petition after his PIL seeking reinstatement of Nagpal, a 2010 batch IAS officer, and quashing of all proceedings against her was dismissed by the apex court on August 16 on the ground that he had no locus to move court in that regard.

The 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 petition had sought judicial review of the suspension order and said, "Nagpal's victimisation is a new low in a long process of the subversion of bureaucracy."

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