Guj IPS officer Rajnish Rai gets interim relief from HC

The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday granted an interim relief to IPS officer Rajnish Rai, saying the Union government cannot interfere with his new job at IIM Ahmedabad until the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) decides his petition against rejection of VRS plea.

Rai has been hired by the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad as an associate professor.

A division bench of justices S R Brahmbhatt and A P Thaker said the Centre cannot interfere with his new job or proceed with disciplinary proceedings against him for now -- subject to the outcome of his application before the CAT or any appellate proceeding challenging the Centre's refusal to grant him voluntary retirement.

Rai, a Gujarat-cadre officer who had investigated the Sohrabuddin Shaikh alleged fake encounter case and arrested senior IPS officers D G Vanzara and others, opted for VRS in November 2018 when he was posted at the Counter Insurgency and Anti-Terrorism School at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh.

When the Centre rejected his application, he moved the CAT where the matter is pending.

In May, Rai was hired by the IIM-A.

In the meanwhile, he was suspended by the Union government for unauthorised absence from duty.

The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development then wrote to the IIM-A, seeking an explanation for hiring a 'suspended' officer.

He approached the high court seeking a direction to the central government to treat him as retired and not interfere with his new job.