HRD ministry questions IIMA hiring suspended IPS officer Rai

The Union Human Resource Development Ministry has objected to the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad's decision to hire suspended IPS

officer Rajnish Rai, the Gujarat High Court has been informed. Suspended by the Union government, Rai had sought

voluntary retirement from service last year. "Is the Government of India writing such letters?" asked a division bench of Justices S R Brahmbhatt and A P Thaker on Tuesday.

Rai's counsel Rahul Sharma told the court that the HRD Ministry sent a letter to the premier management institute

last week asking why did it hire the IPS officer when he was under suspension.

The court has slated the matter for further hearing on July 30. The 1992-batch Gujarat-cadre IPS officer had sought voluntary retirement in November 2018 while serving at the Counter Insurgency and Anti-Terrorism School of the Central Reserve Police Force at Chittoor.

But the Central government rejected his application and asked him to join the duty.

He then moved the high court seeking directions that he be treated as retired and allowed to take up alternate employment.

In May, when the petition was pending, Rai was hired by the IIMA as an associate professor.

Meanwhile, he was also suspended from the government service.

While working with the Gujarat Criminal Investigation Department in 2007, Rai had arrested IPS officers D G Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian and Dinesh MN for their roles in alleged Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case. All three were later discharged from the case. PTI PJT PD KRK RAX

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