Early Times Report
Srinagar, Jan 29: In a set back to Shamsher Singh Sandhu, a senior officer in CRPF, the J&K High Court on Wednesday dismissed his petition against an order by Union Ministry of Home Affairs, demoting him from the rank of Inspector General to Deputy Inspector General of Paramilitary CRPF. "The promotion order of the petitioner was revoked in consequences of determination of his medical category as Shape 2 (permanent). The petitioner has not challenged the determination of the aforesaid medical category. Since possession of SHAPE-1 medical category is a mandatory requirement for promotion in the CRPF and the petitioner did not possess the same, his promotion order has rightly been revoked," a single bench of the high court comprising Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey said.
On Feb 15 2013, the MHA had issued an order, divesting S S Sandhu of his charge as Inspector General (op) Kashmir for not having mandatory 'SHAPE1' fitness.
Later, on March 7 last, the MHA passed another order, transferring him at the Office of Special DG, J&K, Zone CRPF Jammu.
Upset by the orders, Sandhu had filed the petition, challenging the orders by the MHA.
In his petition filed through senior advocate Reyaz Jan, Sandhu had sought interdicting of MHA orders of reverting him to DIG and consequential order wherein he was posted as the DIG at the CRPF.
Sandhu in his petition had termed the orders as "arbitrary and invidiously discriminatory" of the constitutional guarantees under Article 311 (2) of the Constitution to him as well as against minimum required principles of natural justice.
He had also prayed for directions from the court to MHA to continue to treat him as incumbent of the post of IG with all powers, authority, benefits and privileges as vested under law.
Sandhu was demoted after a board set up by the home ministry found discrepancies in his physical fitness records.
A CRPF officer is promoted only if he is certified as 'SHAPE 1', but he was found ineligible for promotion by the team doctors. |
