The Bombay High Court has issued a notice on Monday on a writ petition filed by a constable in which he has alleged irregularities during the tenure of IPS officer Rashmi Shukla when she was Pune police commissioner in allowing subordinate officers to act in violation of stipulated procedures.
The petition claimed that he had objected to the irregularities by his superiors and was suspended and further that Shukla had overlooked the irregularities when he had apprised her of the same. A division bench of Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Nitin R Borkar was hearing the petition of the constable Dilip Jadhav.
The constable referred to two incidents of irregularities in 2015 when he was on general duty in Hadapsar police station. He said he had written to Shukla who was police chief in Pune after his communication to the deputy commissioner did not secure any result. He claimed instead of action being taken against the officers who committed the irregularities, he was suspended for two years and was also given a disciplinary warning after he resumed work.
The petition not only sought action against the concerned officers but also that he be compensated by Rs. 10 lakhs for the violation of his fundamental and human rights due to the harassment. He also sought action against Shukla for supporting the irregularities of some respondents.
Justice Varale asked the petitioner if there is no remedy under service law? "You are part of a disciplined uniform force. If any action is taken against you, this is not the proper place. There is a proper forum and a remedy," Justice Varale remarked during the hearing. The petitioner informed the court that he was not pursuing reliefs regarding punishment for Shukla and declaring his suspension illegal. The court then directed the state to respond after four weeks when the hearing is posted.
