No ground not to let IGP Umranangal join duties: HC

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court has made it clear that there is no ground with the Punjab govt for not permitting IGP Paramraj Singh Umranangal to join his duties.
The HC has asked the Punjab govt to take a decision till July 15 on the issue.
Justice Rajbir Singh Sherawat of the HC has passed these orders while hearing a contempt of court petition filed by the IPS officer against non-compliance of the HC orders through which his suspension was revoked by the HC in Feb this year.
Umranangal was an accused in 2015 firing cases that took place following sacrilege incidents.
“The record of the case shows that the arguments of the state have not found favour even with the Supreme Court. Therefore, there is absolutely no ground for not permitting the petitioner to join his duties, anymore. Although, the above said default on the part of the respondents (Punjab govt) called for a coercive process against them. However, the counsel for the state seek a short accommodation to do the needful,” the HC observed in its orders while adjourning the hearing of the case for July 15.
The HC, however, has made it clear that no further adjournment shall be granted in the case. Earlier in Feb, the HC had revoked the suspension of Punjab's controversial IGP and had ordered the state govt "to allow him to join the service forthwith".
The detailed orders say that one cannot be kept in suspension for an indefinite period in the garb of pending enquiry. The court quashed the IPS officer’s suspension orders and the the Central Administrative Tribunal’s order of Feb 1, 2023, that had dismissed his plea for reinstatement. The Punjab govt had moved the SC against these orders but got no relief.