The suspension of a government employee pending inquiry is justified where serious allegations exist, and must balance public interest against the employee's rights.

ORDER :

Pulla Karthik, J.

This Writ Petition is filed seeking to declare and set aside the impugned proceedings of respondent No.2 vide No.G/709/2025 dated 11.06.2025 as illegal, arbitrary, discriminatory and without power, and consequently, to direct the respondents to forthwith reinstate the petitioner into service.

2. Heard Sri M. Surender Rao, learned Senior Counsel, representing Sri C. Raja Sekhar Reddy, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, and learned Government Pleader for Services-I, appearing on behalf of the respondents.

3. Learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that while the petitioner was working as Sub-Registrar, Sanjeevreddy Nagar, a complaint was lodged against him by one Mr. C.A. Vidya Sagar, Secretary, A.P. Christian Medical Educational Society, alleging fraudulent registration of Sale Deed bearing document No.1077/2025 on 04.04.2025, in respect of the property bearing H.No.6-3-566, Mehar Manzil, Somajiguda, Khairtabad, Hyderabad. Pursuant to the said complaint, an enquiry was ordered by respondent No.2 vide Memo dated 29.05.2025, and upon conclusion of the preliminary enquiry, respondent No.3 concluded that the petitioner had failed to properly scrutinize the documents before registration, without taking serious note of two unregistered HIBA Transactions for the property already transacted under two Fasli sale deeds, disregarded the wrong PTIN with complaisance society name, and also failed to acknowledge the prohibited entry of the property involved in the transaction, and held that the petitioner had shown a lack of integrity and devotion in discharging his duties. However, without actually verifying the facts, respondent No.2 has arbitrarily placed the petitioner under suspension vide impugned proceedings dated 11.06.2025.

4. It is further submitted that the main allegation against the petitioner is that he had accepted the registration of the property, against which, a prohibition entry was recorded, at the request of the CID Police. However, as per the decision of the Division Bench of this Court in W.P.Nos.28643, 28776 and 28799 of 2021 dated 13.12.2021, the police authorities are not competent to request for the inclusion of immovable properties in the list of prohibited properties. It is also submitted that the deletion of prohibition entry could not be carried out, due to technical issues only, and the same was also reported to the District Registrar, Hyderabad (South), and the said deletion is currently under process. Therefore, the respondents ought not to have placed the petitioner under suspension on the said allegation. It is further submitted that there is no mistake or procedural lapse on the part of the petitioner in registering the property vide Document No.1077/2025 dated 04.04.2005, and no loss is caused to the Government, as the said property is not classified as Government Land. Moreover, the Government derived revenue through the Stamp Duty paid. Therefore, there is no basis for placing the petitioner under suspension. It is also submitted that the petitioner is presently aged about (60) years and on the verge of his retirement from service. As such, the impugned suspension would adversely affect the petitioner's pension and terminal benefits. Therefore, learned Senior Counsel prays this Court to pass necessary orders in the present writ petition by setting aside the impugned suspension order dated 11.06.2025.

5. On the other hand, learned Government Pleader appearing on behalf of the respondents submits that grave irregularities were alleged against the petitioner in registration o