This petition challenged departmental proceedings coinciding with a criminal case against a police constable. Noting the criminal case was disposed of, the held that criminal and departmental proceedings are independent; acquittal in criminal court does not bar departmental action based on preponderance of probabilities.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 08-10-2018
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE Mr. JUSTICE S.M.SUBRAMANIAM
W.P.No. 18799 of 2016 W.M.P.Nos.16417 & 32538 of 2016
N.Duraisingam ... Petitioner
Vs
1. The Commissioner of Police,
Coimbatore City,
Coimbatore.
2. The Assistant Commissioner of Police,
Law and Order (West)
Coimbatore City,
Coimbatore.
... Respondents
PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, pleased to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to defer all further proceedings in relating to the charge memo issued C.No.F1/PR-04/2016, u/r 3 (b) dated 23.02.2016 on the file of the 2nd respondent pending criminal proceedings in Crime No. 05 of 2015 on the file of All Women Police Station (Central), Coimbatore.
For Petitioner : Mr.A.Tamilarasan
The Charge memo dated 23.02.2016 is under challenge in this writ petition. The Writ petitioner joined as Police Constable on 23.12.1985 and he was promoted up to the level of Special Sub Inspector of Police. The wife of the writ petitioner filed a complaint before the All Women Police Station (Central Coimbatore) and the criminal case was registered against the
writ petitioner in Crime No.5 of 2015 under Sections 498A, 406 and 506(ii) of Indian Penal Code. Simultaneously, the respondents initiated disciplinary proceedings against the writ petitioner and framed a charge memo in proceeding dated 23.02.2016. The charge against the writ petitioner is as under:-
"i)gpioahsp jdf;F jpUkzkhd ehspypUe;J mjhtJ fle;j 27.06.1994 Mk; Mz;L Kjy; jdJ kidtpia xU ngz;kzp vd;Wk; ghuhky; mbj;J Jd;GWj;jp> mtUf;F kd cisr;riyj; vw;gLj;jpaNjhL kl;Lky;yhky;> jdJ kidtpia jw;nfhiyf;F Jhz;Lk; tifapy; ele;Jnfhz;lJ kl;Lky;yhky; nraw;if fUël;ly; %yk; Foe;ij ngw;Wf;nfhs;s gzk; &. 2 yl;rk; thq;fp tur;nrhy;yp nfhiy kpul;ly; tpLj;Js;shh.; ,jw;fhf gpioahspapd; kidtp jdJ ngw;Nwhh; trk; ngw;w gzj;jpd; % yk;> 21 Mz;Lfs; fopj;J> nraw;if fUël;ly; %yk; gpioahspapd; kidtp nghUl;nry;tp tapw;wpy; xU fU tsh;e;Js;sJ. Mdhy; gpioahspapd; td;kkhd Ngr;rhYk;> mjdhy; Vw;gl;l kd cisr;ry; fhuzkhf 21 Mz;Lfs; fopj;J cUthd fU mopa fhuzkhfp cs;shh;. ,r;nrayhdJ gpioahsp jhd; fhty;Jiwapy; gzpGhpfpNwhk;> jd;dhy; vJ Ntz;LkhdhYk; nra;ayhk; vd nkj;jdkhf ,Ue;Js;s epiyNa gpioahsp k PJs;s Fw;wr;rhl;lhFk;.
ii) gpioahsp jdJ kidtp nghUl;nry;tpia Foe;ij ghf;fpak; ,y;yhj kyb vd;Wk;> tujl;riz Nfl;L Jd;GWj;jp> tpthfuj;J gj;jpuj;jpy; ifnaOj;J Nghlr;nrhy;yp kpul;bajhfTk;> mt;thW Nghltpy;iynad;why; gpioahspapd; kidtp nghUl;nry;tpapd; fhjpy; tp~k; Cw;wp nfhd;W tpLtjhf kpul;b mjdbg;gilapy; nghUl;nry;tp vd;gth; nfhLj;j Gfhh; njhlh;ghf midj;J kfsph; fhty; epiyak; (kj;jpak;) Fw;w vz; : 05Æ15 u/s 498(A), 406, 506 (ii) IPC - d;gb tof;F gjpT nra;a fhuzkhfp xOf;fKk; fl;Lg;ghLk; kpf;f fhty;Jiwapd; ew;ngaUf;F fsq;fk; Vw;gLj;Jk; ele;Jnfhz;l xOq;f Pdr ; nray;"
Assistant Registrar(CCC)
Sub Assistant Registrar
pkn/kmm
To
Coimbatore.
+1cc to Mr.A.Tamilarasan, Advocate, S.R.No.69934
W.P.No. 18799of 2016
MP(CO) GSP(02/11/2018)
2 issues framed by the court
Whether pendency of a criminal case is a bar to initiating departmental disciplinary proceedings against a government employee.
Whether an order of acquittal in a criminal case prevents the disciplinary authority from proceeding with independent disciplinary proceedings.
N.Duraisingam
The Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore City
The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Law and Order (West)
S.M.Subramaniam
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
