NEW DELHI: Gujarat cadre IPS officer Satish Chandra Verma, who had assisted the CBI in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter probe, has approached Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court permitting the Union home ministry to sack him.
Verma was dismissed on August 30, a month before his retirement on September 30.
While the HC permitted the ministry to sack him, it put the dismissal order on hold till September 19 to let him exercise his rights of seeking remedy from the Supreme Court.
“Without prejudice to the challenge to the charge-sheet in the subject proceedings, respondents are permitted to implement the order. However, it is directed that the order shall not be implemented till 19.09.2022, to enable the petitioner to avail of his remedies in accordance with law against the order of dismissal,” the HC bench of Justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Tushar Rao Gedela had said.
The IPS officer had approached the HC challenging the disciplinary proceedings initiated against him by the ministry.
On September 29, 2021 the HC had permitted disciplinary proceedings but asked the ministry not to take any “precipitative action”.
On being informed that the proceedings against him were concluded but no final order was passed due to the September 29 order, the bench on August 30, 2022 let the ministry pass final orders with a rider.
“Till the next date of hearing, the final order, if prejudicial to the petitioner, shall not be implemented without the leave of the court,” the HC said.
Yet, Verma was sacked the same day. His dismissal meant he would not be entitled to pension or other post-retirement benefits.