Summary:
Chennai: G Sampath Kumar , a superintendent of police-cadre officer reinstated after prolonged suspension, has approached the Madras high court assailing a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order upholding a charge memo issued against him by the home secretary in connection with 2013 IPL betting and match fixing scam.A division bench of Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh and Justice R M T Teeka Raman, before which the matter came up for admission, ordered a notice to the home secretary returnable in two weeks.According to the petitioner, as he had deposed before the Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee which was probing allegations of betting and spot-fixing in IPL matches, he earned the displeasure of some people and due to their influence, was placed under suspension by a government order dated February 27, 2014.“Subsequently, after a considerable period of time, the home secretary issued a charge memo containing charges on eight counts framed under the All India Services Rules, 1969. Among the eight charges, six were for interacting with the media and one for allegedly collecting money and for not informing a bank transaction to the department,” Sampath Kumar said.Claiming that the memo had been issued with mala fide intention and without authority, the officer moved the CAT to quash the memo.Refusing to allow the quashing of the petition, saying that it was a premature application, CAT directed the authorities concerned to reopen the inquiry and to permit the petitioner to cross-examine the prosecution witnesses and thereafter to let his evidence to be submitted in writing as per law.Subsequently, the inquiry officer submitted his report holding that charges 1 to 6 and 8 were proved and charge 7 was not proved.Now, contending that though the inquiry had been carried out as per the orders passed by the CAT and considering the fact that the charges had been framed without the authority of law and against the dictum laid down by the Supreme Court, the petitioner has approached the high court assailing the CAT order..