Suspended Inspector challenges departmental inquiry before CAT

Tribune News Service

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Chandigarh, February 17

Suspended Inspector Rajdeep Singh, who is facing charges in the alleged property grab case of Sector 37, Chandigarh, has challenged department inquiry initiated by the Chandigarh Police before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CTA), Chandigarh Bench.

Rajdeep Singh is one of 10 accused in the alleged property grab case. The police alleged that Rajdeep Singh, the then SHO of the Sector 39 police station, was involved in the case and allegedly did not take any action on an initial complaint filed against the accused, who allegedly forcibly occupied the house of Rahul Mehta in Sector 37, Chandigarh.

As per the FIR, the accused later abandoned Mehta in Gujarat and an imposter, Rahul Mehta, was produced before the office of Sub-Registrar at the time of execution of sale deed of the house.

In the application filed before the CAT through counsel Arjun Shukla, Rajdeep Singh said on the same set of allegations on which the sanction order dated July 8, 2021 had been issued against the applicant, one departmental enquiry had also now been initiated by the Chandigarh Police on January 10, 2022, when he was lodged in the Model Jail, Chandigarh. He said a summary of allegation was served upon him by the inquiry officer.

Counsel Arjun Shukla said the applicant had already submitted his detailed representation with the Director General of Police (DGP) inter alia contending therein that since the applicant was lodged in the Model Jail, Chandigarh, he would not be in a position to properly defend himself in the departmental enquiry at this stage. Thus, the applicant requested the DGP to adjourn the enquiry sine die till the conclusion of trial in the criminal prosecution pending on the same set of facts and allegation.

Shukla said the applicant also submitted another representation with the inquiry officer as well, requesting him to allow an advocate for assistance in enquiry and to keep enquiry pending till the conclusion of trial in the criminal prosecution pending on the same set of facts and allegation. The applicant has not received any response on both these representations from the respondents yet.

He said the continuation of the present departmental enquiry, when he was confined in the Model Jail, Chandigarh, deprived him of an opportunity for free and fair trial. The applicant prayed before the Bench to stay the departmental proceedings till the conclusion of the criminal case.

The Bench comprising Rakesh Kumar Gupta Member (A) and Suresh Kumar Monga Member (J) issued notices to respondents for February 18 to show cause as to why the application be not admitted for hearing.

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