BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has stayed the suspension of a primary school teacher in Shivpuri district, who was earlier penalised for mimicking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video criticising the hike in LPG prices.
A single-judge bench of Justice Ashish Shroti noted that suspension cannot be imposed in a routine manner and remains subject to judicial review if found arbitrary or lacking due consideration. The court said the justifiability of placing the teacher under suspension had not been examined, and no inquiry was contemplated in the impugned order.
While disposing of the petition filed by the primary school teacher, Saket Kumar Purohit, to challenge the order of his recent suspension, the HC stated, it has been seen that on March 12, 2026, the alleged offending video was uploaded by the petitioner on his Facebook account.
On the same day, the impugned order (suspension order) was passed by the district education officer (DEO) of Shivpuri district on the complaint (of the local BJP MLA Pritam Singh Lodhi), which alleged that in the video the petitioner (teacher) had mimicked a popular leader (PM Narendra Modi).
“It is evident that the justifiability or desirability of placing the petitioner (teacher) under suspension wasn’t considered. Also, the impugned order didn’t contemplate any inquiry,” the HC observed in its nine-page order.
While stating that the suspension order was found to have been passed in haste, allegedly under dictates of the complainant (local BJP MLA Pritam Singh Lodhi) in a routine manner, the HC added that the DEO is required to reconsider the matter by applying his mind to the facts and circumstances of the case and by taking into account the relevant instructions issued by the State Government vide a circular dated January 13, 2005 in another case.
“Accordingly, instead of keeping the matter pending, it is remitted to the respondent (DEO of Shivpuri district) for reconsideration and for passing a fresh order. Since the primary facie, the March 13, 2026 suspension order is found to have been passed without consideration of relevant circumstances, its operation shall be stayed till the passing of a fresh order by the DEO,” the HC stated, while disposing of the petition.
A teacher at a primary school in MP’s Shivpuri district, Purohit was placed under suspension on March 13 on the allegation that he posted "an objectionable video" with the intent to cause disturbance in society. He was also accused of damaging the image of the education department.
Challenging the suspension, his counsel argued that the video uploaded by him didn’t contain any objectionable material which could cause disturbance in society. It was also submitted that he had merely mentioned the shortage of LPG gas caused by the Israel-Iran war.
While opposing the submission made by the petitioner's teacher’s counsel, the government advocate, submitted that the petitioner had only been placed under suspension, which does not amount to punishment, and, therefore, no cause of action arises for filing the present petition.
Submitting before the MP High Court that the adjudication of a suspension order would be beyond the purview of judicial review when the issue of competence is not involved, the government advocate sought the dismissal of the petition by the Court.