AURANGABAD: The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court has quashed the suspension order a senior stenographer, Ifteqarullah Baig, in Aurangabad issued by former chief executive officer of Maharashtra State Waqf Board.Baig — under suspension for the past three years — was suspended by the then CEO Naseem Bano Patel citing contemplation of departmental inquiry on January 2, 2016. He was recruited in 1986 and at the time of his suspension he held charge of stenographer, nodal officer, personal assistant to the CEO and typist-cum-clerk.The division bench of the HC, comprising justices SV Gangapurwala and RG Avachat, citing a summary report of the police giving a clean chit to the steno in a criminal case, ruled that no purpose would be served by keeping the petitioner under suspension.In the first week of December 2015, Baig was transferred to Amravati as regional Waqf officer, but he refused to take charge at Amravati. This was followed by Patel sealing Baig’s chamber and later seizing crucial files and documents from the chamber.Baig’s suspension followed by recovery of crucial files from his chamber made headlines. In a separate petition challenging the transfer order, the HC — in its order issued on December 21, 2016 — had quashed the same stating that being a stenographer, Baig could not be transferred on an administrative post of Regional Waqf officer and is also not qualified for the same.Representing Baig, lawyer Pradnya Talekar, contested that six months after a government employee is suspended, evaluation has to be done and the order has to be reconsidered.“In contrast to the government’s policy on evaluating an employee’s suspension after six months, the Waqf authorities did not evaluate or reconsidered revoking the suspension order,” Talekar said.He also cited that a case of misappropriation of funds was also registered against Baig, but the police failed to find any evidence and filed an A summary report before the court. Even the audit carried out about the purchases made by Baig failed to find any malpractices.The HC directed the Waqf board to reinstate Baig and pay the subsistence allowance till date. The HC also gave Waqf the liberty to continue with its inquiry in accordance with the law.

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