HC directs Salunkhe to be reinstated as vice-principal

Salunkhe was dismissed from service after an inquiry was initiated against her in 2005 for allegedly submitting fake degree certificate.

A division bench of Justices V M Kanade and P D Kode today allowed a petition filed by Salunkhe challenging a single bench's order upholding her dismissal.

"We direct the college management to reinstate the petitioner (Salunkhe) and pay her back wages," the bench said.

The judgement has been stayed for 8 weeks to allow the college to challenge the order in the apex court.

In 2007, the then principal of the law college, I A Inamdar had moved the High Court alleging that Salunkhe obtained a fake BA degree certificate from Kakatia University in Warangal in 1988-89. Inamdar had said Salunkhe used this certificate to get admission to Mumbai University's law courses and after obtaining her degree in law, she joined as lecturer at Siddharth Law College.

Salunkhe had challenged her dismissal stating that the college management has been harassing her after she raised objection to examination malpractice by which an IPS officer, K L Bishnoi, cleared his LLB exams with the help of Inamdar without actually appearing for the practical test held on March 12, 2005.

Salunkhe had lodged complaints against the duo following which a probe was ordered, which gave Bishnoi a clean chit. Salunkhe then approached the High Court seeking inquiry against the seven senior IPS officers who conducted the probe alleging that they had shielded Bishnoi.

The High Court had then ordered the Director General of Police to conduct an inquiry and submit a report. The DGP gave a clean chit to all the officers but recommended advisory note to be issued to two of them for non-application of mind and casual approach while dealing with complaints filed by Salunkhe against Bishnoi.

The two officers are - Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Brijesh Singh and Additional Director General of Police M M Rathod.