HC notice to Sandhu on Punjab’s plea for vacation of stay

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday issued notice to arrested former Punjab agriculture director Mangal Singh Sandhu on an application filed by the state government for vacation of stay on his removal from the post.

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday issued notice to arrested former Punjab agriculture director Mangal Singh Sandhu on an application filed by the state government for vacation of stay on his removal from the post.

On September 28, based on a petition filed by Sandhu, the high court bench had stayed his removal order of September 17. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photo)

Filed last week by the state, the application came up for hearing before the single-judge bench of justice GS Sandhawalia, which sought Sandhu’s response and asked the state government to be ready with details on the investigations, so far. On September 28, based on a petition filed by Sandhu, the high court bench had stayed his removal order of September 17.

The government has submitted that his removal was “neither a stigma nor punitive”, and that he was removed since the government had initiated inquiry into the irregularities in the purchase of pesticides for containing whitefly. It further submitted that his removal was based on “administrative exigency” and “in larger public interest”.