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Madras High CourtWP/4843/2026allowed

M.Narayanan v. The District Revenue Officer

2026-02-16Honourable Mr Justice M.Dhandapani6 pages

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 16-02-2026

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI M.Narayanan ..Petitioner(s) Vs

1. The District Revenue Officer, Villupuram District.

2. The Revenue Divisional Officer, Villupuram.

..Respondent(s) Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking issuance of writ of certiorarified mandamus, calling for the records of Impugned Order in Na.Ka.A1/ 1539 / 2025 dated 24.11.2025 issued by the 2nd respondent and quash the same and subsequently direct the 2nd respondent to revoke the suspension order vide Proceedings dated 25.02.2020 in R.C.NO.A1/602/2020.

For Petitioner(s):

Mr.S.Arunkumar For Respondent(s):

Mr.P.Balathandayutham Special Government Pleader

ORDER

This Writ Petition has been filed challenging the impugned order dated 24.11.2025 issued by the 2nd respondent and quash the same and subsequently direct the 2nd respondent to revoke the suspension order dated 25.02.2020.

2. With the consent of the learned counsel appearing on either side, this Writ Petition is taken up disposal at the admission stage.

3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner participated in the Group-II examination and upon successfully cleared the same, he was appointed in the year 2017. However, subsequently, the respondent initiated the proceedings as if the petitioner manipulated the Exam Centre and obtained an appointment order thereby, the matter was initially referred to CBCID thereafter, the CBCID filed criminal case . On the basis of the same, the petitioner was placed under suspension however, disciplinary proceeding was not concluded. In the meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission itself cancelled the recruitment and the similarly placed persons challenged the same in the batch of writ petitions and this Court allowed the writ petitions holding that the respondent has passed the order without following the service rules and in violation of natural justice and subsequently, directed the respondents to reinstate the petitioners into service

and also to initiate the disciplinary proceedings and conclude the same in the manner known to law. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the same order may be extended to the petitioner also and accordingly, he prayed for appropriate orders.

4. The learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondents would submit that the petitioner obtained an appointment order by manipulating the examination thereby, criminal case was registered by the CBI and filed charge sheet as against the petitioner and the petitioner was placed under suspension and till date, the same was not revoked. Accordingly, he prayed for dismissal of this writ petition.

5. Heard, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned counsel appearing for the respondents.

6. The facts of the present case is not in dispute. The petitioner admittedly, recruited as Village Administrative Officer pursuant to the examination conducted by the TNPSC and subsequently, he was placed under suspension as if he manipulated the examination, pursuant to which, a criminal case as against the petitioner thereafter, the CBI filed a charge sheet as against the petitioner. The petitioner also accused in the criminal case and some of the similarly placed persons also filed petitions in W.P.No.2889 of 2025 etc., and

this Court by its order dated 05.02.2026, allowed the writ petitions with the following terms:

"48. For the reasons aforesaid, all the writ petitions are allowed with the following directions :- i)The respective impugned orders passed by the Commission cancelling the provisional selection and allotment and invalidating the OMR answer sheet of the petitioners are set aside; ii)The impugned orders passed by the respective appointing authorities removing the respective petitioners from service are also set aside holding that the said orders are passed without following the service rules and in violation of principles of natural justice;

iii)The respective appointing authorities are directed to reinstate the petitioners in service forthwith and upon such reinstatement, if so advised, the respective appointing authorities are at liberty to initiate disciplinary action against the respective petitioners for the delinquency, alleged to have been committed by the petitioners and proceed against the respective petitioners in accordance with the relevant service rules governing the petitioners;

iv)If disciplinary proceedings have already been initiated against any of the petitioners, then the appointing authorities shall take steps to conclude the disciplinary proceedings initiated as expeditiously as possible in accordance with the relevant service rules governing the said petitioners;

v)The Commission is at liberty to proceed against the petitioners subject to the outcome of the criminal trial; vi)Upon cognizance being taken of the charge sheet by the

concerned Court, the trial court is directed to proceed with the said trial and complete the same as expeditiously as possible and the petitioners herein are directed to cooperate with the trial court for completion of the trial as expeditiously as possible; vii)The CBI is directed to place a copy of this order before the concerned trial court before which the charge sheet is pending cognizance so as to enable the concerned Court to proceed forthwith with the matter in accordance with law; viii)Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. There shall be no order as to costs."

7. In view of the above, the very same order is extended to the petitioner also. Accordingly, this Writ Petition is allowed in terms of the order passed by this Court in W.P.No.2889 of 2025 etc., batch dated 05.02.2026, referred supra. The appointing authorities are directed to reinstate the petitioner in service forthwith and upon such reinstatement, if so advised, the appointing authorities are at liberty to initiate disciplinary action against the petitioner for the delinquency, alleged to have been committed by the petitioner and proceed against the petitioner in accordance with the relevant service rules governing the petitioners. No costs.

16-02-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order KKN

M.DHANDAPANI, J.

KKN To

1. The District Revenue Officer, Villupuram District.

2. The Revenue Divisional Officer, Villupuram.

16-02-2026