New Delhi, Feb 27: The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the central government to consider grievances in a plea challenging appointment of Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar, saying he faced charges of power misuse and rights violations.
A division bench of Chief Justice D. Murugesan and Justice V.K. Jain refused to entertain the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a retired IAS officer as no representation was made before competent authority.
The court asked the former officer to make a representation before the home ministry within a week, which will decide on the representation within eight weeks.
The bench said: “An order cannot be passed as there is no representation to the competent authority before approaching the court.
He can send his representation to the competent authority. The competent authority shall look into the grievances and decide it within eight weeks.”
Neeraj Kumar, a 1976-batch Indian Police Service officer, was appointed police commissioner of the city June 28 last year.
The court's direction came on a petition filed by M.S. Devasayam, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from Chennai, seeking the appointment of Neeraj Kumar as police commissioner be quashed.
“The police officer is facing serious allegations of misuse and abuse of powers, fabrication of documents and violation of human rights,” the PIL said.
Advocate Mehmood Pracha, appearing for the petitioner, told the court that even the selection committee had rejected Neeraj Kumar's name for the post of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director due to the allegations.
“He was found to be unfit for being included in the panel of the officers for the appointment of the post of director of the CBI by the selection committee headed by the chief vigilance commissioner on account of several charges which he is facing,” Pracha said.
