CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday kept in abeyance the order staying the suspension of an inspector attached to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption. The first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan passed the interim order on an appeal filed by the state against the single judge’s order.
The single judge had also rapped the DVAC for suspending the inspector, stating it was a motivated action. Vimala had filed the petition alleging the suspension was discriminatory and she was victimised for registering an FIR against another inspector Rajalakshmi for corrupt activities during the latter’s stint at the Anti-Vice Squad of the Greater Chennai Police.
Additional Advocate General T Gowthaman, representing the state, submitted that there was a serious allegation that inspector had demanded a bribe of Rs 5 lakh during a vigilance inquiry and informed that a departmental inquiry was also being conducted against her.
Further, she was served with a charge memo, he said, requesting the court to stay the order of the single judge by taking into account the evidence to substantiate the charges levelled against Vimala, who was placed under suspension on June 17.
The AAG informed the bench that the single judge had proceeded to issue the interim stay without verifying the facts and evidence against the inspector. Staying the order of the single judge, the bench directed the state to place all the materials on the matter before the single judge.