Allahabad high court revokes suspension of SHO caught red-handed in graft case

Pant had been caught red-handed by the Gautam Budh Nagar senior superintendent of police Vaibhav Krishna on January 30 while allegedly taking bribe from a call centre owner in exchange for removing his name from an FIR. Three journalists were also arrested along with him.

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday revoked the suspension of Manoj Pant, the former station house officer (SHO) of Sector 20 police station, who had been arrested in a graft case in January. The court’s order said that the SHO shall continue his work and also receive salary.

Pant was granted bail by the high court on May 28, but continued to be suspended while the scribes were released on bail earlier. (HT file photo)

Pant had been caught red-handed by the Gautam Budh Nagar senior superintendent of police Vaibhav Krishna on January 30 while allegedly taking bribe from a call centre owner in exchange for removing his name from an FIR. Three journalists were also arrested along with him. Along with his arrest, Pant was suspended and a departmental inquiry was also ordered.

Pant was granted bail by the high court on May 28, but continued to be suspended while the scribes were released on bail earlier.

The July 30 order has revoked suspension till the next court hearing after the state lawyer failed to produce the relevant documents in the court.

“The petitioner shall be allowed to continue and receive salary. It is clarified that the disciplinary inquiry in the meantime go on,” said the order.

According to Noida police, it was the negligence of the state attorney due to which the suspension was revoked.

“We had submitted all the documents from our end. We will fight the order. I am preparing a report to be sent to the government. Meanwhile, the SHO can rejoin in the police lines after he appears in the district and hands over a copy of the high court order to us,” said SSP Krishna.