IPS officer Rahul Sharma moves court challenging state's showcause notices

Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rahul Sharma, who had put some Gujarat state functionaries in the dock while deposing before the 2002 riots probe panel, moved the Gujarat High Court today challenging six showcause notices issued to him by the Gujarat government.

"I have moved a petition before the Gujarat High Court against the showcause notices," Sharma, who is presently posted as Commandant of the State Reserve Police (SRP) force at Rajkot, told PTI. Sharma moved the High Court after the Ahmedabad bench of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) vacated a stay over six showcause notices issued to him by the Gujarat government, alleging "misconduct" as an officer.

In his petition before the High Court, Sharma alleged that the Gujarat government's action against him was as an act with malafide intentions. Challenging the CAT's order, Sharma contended that vacating of the stay by the tribunal would allow the state to conduct an inquiry against him. Sharma's petition is likely to be heard tomorrow. In March this year, he had filed three petitions to the CAT alleging harassment by the Gujarat government and other superior officers, stating that since he had submitted crucial evidence before the Justice G T Nanavati-Akshay Mehta Commission probing the 2002 riots, which indicted the government, he is being targeted.