Court: No grounds to stop Punjab IGP Param Raj Singh Umranangal from joining duty

Chandigarh, July 5

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asserted that there is no ground for not permitting IGP Param Raj Singh Umranangal to join his duty. This assertion came just about five months after multiple orders suspending his services were quashed.

The assertion came on a contempt of court petition filed by Umranangal against IAS officer Gurkitat Kirpal Singh and another respondent. Taking up his plea, Justice Rajbir Sehrawat asserted: “The record of the case shows that the arguments of the respondent-state have not found favour even with the Supreme Court. Therefore, there is absolutely no ground for not permitting the petitioner to join his duty any more”.

Justice Sehrawat asserted the “default” on the respondents’ part called for a coercive process against them. But the counsel for the respondents was seeking “a short accommodation to do the needful”. Fixing the case for hearing on July 15, the Bench clarified that further adjournment would not be granted.

The Supreme Court in May had expressed its disinclination to intervene in the matter at that stage, making it clear that Punjab could give him a posting of its choice. The Bench had asserted: “We only observe that the appellant after reinstating respondent-Umranangal, as per the direction of the high court, would be at liberty to give him any posting of its choice, which shall remain subject to final outcome of this petition”.

Umranangal was arrayed as an accused in an FIR registered in August 2018, related to the Kotkapura police firing following sacrilege incidents. Umranangal had moved the high court for quashing the impugned judgment and order dated February 1, 2023, passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, whereby his claim for reinstatement was rejected.

Was accused in sacrilege case

IGP Umranangal was arrayed as an accused in an FIR registered in August 2018, related to the Kotkapura police firing following sacrilege incidents