Gujarat HC stays state's show cause notices to IPS official

Extending a major relief to IPS official Rahul Sharma here today, the Gujarat High Court stayed six showcause notices to him by the state government, until final disposal of his application on the same issue, which is before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
A High Court division bench comprising Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice Mohinder Pal said in the order, "Stay granted on showcause notices until final disposal of his application before CAT".
Earlier this month, the High Court had quashed the CAT's order vacating its stay on six showcause notices issued by the Gujarat government to Sharma.
With the stay order granted today by the Gujarat High Court, the Gujarat state government cannot inquire against Sharma as per the six showcause notices.

Sharma, who had put some state functionaries in the dock while deposing before the 2002 riots probe panel, had challenged six showcause notices by the Gujarat government to him alleging "misconduct" as an officer.
On August 6, Sharma had approached the Gujarat High Court, after the Ahmedabad bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) vacated a stay on six showcause notices issued to him in March this year.

In his petition before the Gujarat High Court, Sharma alleged that the Gujarat government's action against him was an act with "malafide intentions".
Challenging the CAT's order, Sharma contended that vacating the CAT tribunal's stay, would allow the state of Gujarat to conduct an inquiry against him.

In March this year, he had filed three petitions to CAT, alleging harassment by the Gujarat government and other superior officers, stating that ever since he had submitted crucial evidence before the Justice G T Nanavati-Akshay Mehta Commission probing the 2002 riots which indicted the Gujarat government, he has been "targeted".