Central Administrative Tribunal Ahmedabad Bench, Ahmedabad Orders reserved on : 10.12.2025 Orders pronounced on : 08.01.2026 CORAM : Hon’ble Mr. Jayesh V. Bhairavia, Member (J)

Hon’ble Mr. Rajinder Kashyap, Member (A)

Rajnish Kumar Rai, Male, aged about 60 years, Son of Mr. Shri Ram Rai, Occupation: Assistant Professor, Indian School of Management, Ahmedabad.

Residing at: MSH 302, New Campus, IIM, Ahmedabad,Sargam Marg, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad- 380015. ..........................................Applicant (By Advocate: Shri Rahul Sharma)

VERSUS Union of India, (Notice to be served through The Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India North Block, New Delhi - 110 001. ...................….Respondents (By Advocates: Shri Devang Vyas, Senior Advocate assisted by Shri H.D. Shukla)

O R D E R

Per : Hon’ble Mr. Jayesh V. Bhairavia, Member (A)

By filing the instant OA under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, the applicant is seeking the following reliefs:- "A. This Hon'ble Tribunal be pleased to quash and set asidethe impugned Order dated 23.07.2025 (at Annexure 'A1'), with the liberty that the Respondent may appointanother Inquiring Authority in accordance with theprovisions of the All India (Discipline and Appeal) Rules,1969;

B. This Hon'ble Tribunal be pleased to quash and set asidethe impugned Order dated 08.08.2025 (at Annexure 'A2');

C. This Hon'ble Tribunal may pass any other order in theinterest ofjustice. "

FACTS OF THE CASE

2. Facts in brief are that the applicant belongs to the 1992 Batch of the directly recruited IPS. During the period from 08.10.2014 to 18.04.2015, he was deputed to the Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. (in short 'UCIL') as its CVO and served as such during this period. Thereafter on 29.04.2015, the applicant joined the CRPF, on a lateral deputation, and later joined duties at Shillong, as IG, North-Eastern Sector, Shillong.

On 12.06.2017, the applicant was transferred and he joined duties at the CIAT, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.

On 25.08.2017, the respondent served a Charge Memorandum dated 25.08.2017 on the applicant, alleging certain procedural irregularities in conducting vigilance inquiries while he was posted as the CVO, UCIL.

2.1 In September 2017, the applicant being aggrieved with the said Charge Sheet dated 25.08.2017 had filed OA No.793/2017 before the Hyderabad Bench of this Tribunal challenging the said charge-sheet on various grounds.

2.2 On 16.10.2017, Hyderabad Bench of this Tribunal stayed further proceedings in the above-mentioned charge-sheet.

2.3 On 03.07.2025, Hyderabad Bench of this Tribunal vacated the stay granted earlier in favour of the applicant.

2.4 On 23.07.2025, the respondent vide the impugned Order (Annexure A/1), appointed Shri Kuldiep Singh, IPS (Retired), as the Inquiring Authority to conduct the disciplinary proceedings against the applicant.

2.5 On 08.08.2025, the applicant made a representation to the respondent/Disciplinary Authority against the appointment of Shri Kuldiep Singh as Inquiring Authority on the ground that the said Shri Kuldiep Singh was incompetent to conduct the proceedings in view of the provisions of Rule 8(2) of the All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969.However, vide order dated 21.08.2025 (Annexure A-2), the Disciplinary Authority rejected the above-

mentioned representation of the applicant.

2.6 In the meantime, on 04.09.2025, the applicant was compulsorily retired from service in connection with another and different matter.

2.7 On 25.10.2025, Preliminary Hearing was scheduled to be conducted via video conferencing.

2.8 Feeling aggrieved by the rejection of his representation vide Order dated 21.08.2025, the applicant has filed this OA seeking the reliefs as quoted above.

3. Pursuant to notice issued by this Tribunal, the respondents have filed their reply opposing the claim of the applicant. The applicant has also filed his rejoinder refuting the contents of the reply.

CONTENTIONS OF THE APPLICANTS

4.1 Learned counsel for the