Maharashtra Director General of Police Anami Roy can continue in his post till November 11, the Bombay High Court said on Thursday.
Roy's petition challenging Central Administrative Tribunal order setting aside his appointment as state's top police officer came up before High Court on Thursday.
A division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Sharad Bobde deferred hearing on Roy's petition till November 11, and said that Roy will continue to be state DGP till then.
As per CAT's order, which came on October 8, within four weeks state government was supposed to appoint new state DGP from amongst the three IPS officers who are senior to Roy. This period lapses on November 6, but court on Thursday gave Roy a reprieve till November 11.
State government too is backing Roy in this petition, as Advocate General Ravi Kadam told the court that CAT's order flies in the face of Supreme Court's directives in Prakash Singh case.
Three IPS officers in the state are senior to Roy, namely S S Virk, J D Virkar and Suprakash Chakravorty. Virk is the seniormost IPS officer in the state at present.
Chakravorty, currently Director General (Homeguards), had approached CAT, seeking to set aside Roy's appointment on the ground that Roy superseded three senior officers.
CAT had also ordered that government should take decision on promoting Chakravorty to DG (Anti-corruption) rank. Advocate General Ravi Kadam told the court that this decision would be taken soon.
The court had earlier dismissed a PIL challenging Roy's appointment, as Chakravorti's petition was pending before CAT then