: The Central Administrative Tribunal today vacated the stay on the transfer of Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) T Suneel Kumar as IGP and Commandant of Anti-Naxal Force (ANF), Udupi.
Disposing of the Original Application filed by Suneel Kumar challenging his transfer, the division bench comprising G Shanthappa and P Prabhakaran, vacated the stay granted on March 12 and directed the government to follow the procedure (pertaining to transfer of IPS officers) as per the Karnataka Police Amendment Act in "letter and spirit".
Ravi B Naik, counsel of the respondent Alok Kumar who headed the ANF and was posted in Suneel Kumar's place, had on March 15 submitted a document to the CAT which revealed that Kumar had actually assumed charge on Sep 27, 2010 and had completed two years six months of service and therefore contended that SC guidelines had not been violated.
The counsel also produced a letter addressed by Principal Home Secretary which states that any IGP officer who completes one year tenure in ANF which is a "hard posting should be reasonably given a good posting".
He submitted that Kumar had been in Bangalore city for the past 12 years and was the "blue eyed boy of the government" and was not moved out of Bangalore "because of political interference".
At this, the CAT bench observed that in its earlier order it had stated that Police Establishment Board shall make appropriate recommendations pertaining to transfer of IPS officers, to which the government advocate submitted this order was "not communicated to the Chief Secretary".
The CAT then ordered that henceforth government shall follow the procedure laid down (for transfers of IPC officers) in the Police Amendment Act, in "letter and spirit".
Subsequent to the CAT order, Kumar was relieved from his post and Alok Kumar assumed charge as Additional Commissioner of Police (L&0), Bangalore.
