Delhi HC Rejects Plea of Sacked Officer Involved in Ishrat Jahan Case

NEW DELHI: Satish Chandra Verma, a former member of the Indian Police Service (IPS), filed a petition with the Delhi High Court on Wednesday challenging the Centre's decision to fire him a month ahead of his retirement date. Satish Chandra Verma had aided the CBI in its investigation into the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case.

A departmental investigation found Verma guilty of several counts, including "interacting with public media," and on August 30 of last year, one month before his scheduled retirement on September 30 of 2022, he was fired from his position.

"We find no merit in the writ petition. The writ petition is dismissed," a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said.

On September 19, 2022, the highest court granted a one-week stay of the Centre's dismissal decision against the officer. The high court was given the authority to determine whether to lengthen or vacate the dismissing judgement.

Later, on September 26 of that same year, the high court decided not to overturn the Centre's decision to remove Verma.

In his investigation of the infamous Ishrat Jahan case from 2004, Verma worked on it from April 2010 to October 2011.

Ishrat, a native of Mumbra near Mumbai, and three other individuals perished on June 15, 2004, after a supposedly staged encounter outside of Ahmedabad.

The dead individuals were identified as LeT terrorists who were allegedly involved in a murder plot against Narendra Modi, the then-chief minister of Gujarat.

The incident was deemed to be "fake" by a Special Investigation Team based on his investigation report.

The Central Bureau of Investigation was eventually given permission to look into the case and use Verma's services in Gujarat High Court.

In accordance with the high court's decision, Verma was accused of engaging in media interactions on March 2 and 3, 2016, as well as conducting an interview at the Guwahati headquarters of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation without the approval or consent of the relevant authority. As well as speaking out of turn on matters related to his responsibilities, he was accused of doing so.

He was charged with commenting on the situation from both a factual and an opinion standpoint and criticising both the federal and state administrations negatively.

Verma was also accused of failing to make it clear that the opinions he stated did not represent those of the government. The results of an investigation showed that the articles of charge were proven.

ALSO READ: Non- Functioning Cameras in Kaziranga Causes Concern Among Wildlife Enthusiasts

ALSO WATCH: