S.Anandan v. The Inspector General Of Registration

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 02.02.2026 CORAM :

THE HON`BLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI S.Anandan ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The Inspector General of Registration, O/o.Inspector General of Registration, 100, Santhome High Road, Chennai-28.

2.The District Registrar (Admin), AIG Cadre, Tirunelveli.

... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for the issuance of Writ of Mandamus, to direct the first respondent to revoke the suspension of the petitioner and reinstate the petitioner in service in the light of G.O.(Ms)No.81, Human Resources Management (N) Department, dated 04.08.2022 within the time period stipulated by this Court.

For Petitioner : Mr.T.Aswin Raja Simman For Respondents : Mr.C.Venkatesh Kumar, Special Government Pleader.

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ORDER

The petitioner is working as Assistant in the Registration Department.

While he was working as Sub-Registrar, Moolaikaraipatti, Tirunelveli District, he registered a document in the name of one Vallikanna, son of Ramadevan and one Nambi, son of Chokkalingam, on 28.12.2022. On the complaint of one Murgan, a criminal case has been registered as against the petitioner in Cr.No.19 of 2023, on 11.10.2023 on the file of the Central Crime Branch Police Station, Tirunelveli for the offence under Sections 465, 467, 468 & 471 IPC. The petitioner was also arrested on 22.10.2023 and he was released on bail by the learned Judicial Magistrate No.I, Tirunelveli, on 30.10.2023. Pursuant to his involvement in the criminal case, he was placed under suspension by the respondents, on 25.10.2023. The petitioner with a grievance that the suspension order dated 25.10.2023 is kept pending without any review, has filed this writ petition seeking a direction to the respondents to revoke the suspension order and reinstate him, as per the guidelines issued in G.O.(Ms)No.81, Human Resources Management (N) Department, dated 04.08.2022. 2/6

2.The Government, in G.O.(Ms)No.81, dated 04.08.2022, has issued certain time limit on the review of suspension and pending enquiry into grave charges. Therefore, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, by referring to these guidelines issued by the Government, seeks review of the suspension order. 3.The learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondents, by referring to the proceedings of the first respondent dated 02.02.2026, submits that the case of the petitioner has been considered and request of the petitioner for reviewing suspension has been rejected, considering the nature of charges pending as against the petitioner.

4.In view of the above submissions of the learned Special Government Pleader, this Court is not inclined to entertain this writ petition.

5.At this juncture, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that charge memo was issued on 26.09.2025 and there is no progress in the disciplinary proceedings and therefore, he 3/6

prays to issue a direction to the respondents to conclude the disciplinary proceeding within a time frame.

6.This Court is of the view that pendency of criminal case is not a bar for the Department to proceed with the disciplinary proceedings. The Government has issued comprehensive guidelines with regard to the simultaneous departmental disciplinary action as against the Government servants for the same set of charges as in the criminal cases connected with the discharge of their official duty, in G.O. (Ms.)No.66, Human Resource Management Department, dated 06.07.2022. In view of this Government Order, the respondents are directed to proceed with the disciplinary proceedings as against the petitioner as per the guidelines issued in G.O.(Ms)No.66, dated 06.07.2022 and conclude the same, within a period of six months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

7.With the above directions, this writ petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs.

02.02.2026 NCC : Yes/No gns 4/6

To 1.The Inspector General of Registration, O/o.Inspector General of Registration, 100, Santhome High Road, Chennai-28.

2.The District Registrar (Admin), AIG Cadre, Tirunelveli.

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B.PUGALENDHI,J gns 02.02.2026 6/6