Manipur High Court
Palmei Langbanjao vs State Of Manipur & Ors on 9 April, 2025
Author: Ahanthem Bimol Singh
Bench: Ahanthem Bimol Singh
SHOUGRAKPAM Digitally signed by IN. 1
SHOUGRAKPAM DEVANANDA
DEVANANDA SINGH
SINGH Date: 2025.04.09 15:56:50 +05'30'
IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR
AT IMPHAL
WP(C) No. 299 of 2025
Palmei Langbanjao ... Petitioner
Vs.
State of Manipur & ors. ... Respondents
B E F O R E
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AHANTHEM BIMOL SINGH
O R D E R
09-04-2025
Heard Mr. Ch Ngongo, learned senior counsel assisted by
Ms. Gangarani, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner.
Issue notice, returnable within four weeks.
As Mr. Shyam Sharma, learned GA entered appearance
and accepts notice on behalf of the respondents, no formal notice is
called for.
The case of the petitioner is that he was placed under
suspension by an order dated 05-02-2014 on account of his detention in
connection with a criminal case and the period of his suspension was
extended from 15-02-2014 continuously by issuing different orders for a
period of more than eleven years until he was reinstated into service by
an order dated 01-03-2025. Consequent upon his reinstatement in
service, the petitioner reported to his superior officer for allowing him to
join his duty and to discharge his functions, however, as the immediate
competent authority of the petitioner refused to allow him to join and
assign his duty, the petitioner submitted his representation to the DGP
with a request for allowing him to join and to allow him to discharge his
duty. When the authorities including the DGP, Manipur, did not consider
the request made by the petitioner, the petitioner approached this court
WP(C) No. 299 of 2025 Contd…/-
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and on his prayer, this court passed an order dated 01-04-2025 in WP(C)
No. 837 of 2024 thereby directing the DGP, Manipur, to consider the
representation submitted by the petitioner and to dispose of the same
within fifteen days by issuing a speaking order.
Pursuant to the said order passed by this court, the petitioner
through his counsel submitted a representation to the concerned
authorities including the DGP, Manipur, to comply with the direction
given by this court. However, quite surprisingly, instead of complying the
direction given by this court, the Commandant, 5th Battalion, Manipur
Rifles, Khongjaron, issued an order dated 03-04-2025 placing the
petitioner again under suspension in contemplation of a Departmental
Enquiry. On perusal of the said suspension order, it is clearly seen that
the purpose of holding the Department Enquiry is on the ground that the
petitioner has violated the protocol for approaching the DGP with a
request for allowing him to join duty and not only placing the petitioner
under suspension, the authorities have also cancelled the earlier order
revoking his suspension.
The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted
that the actions of the authorities in placing the petitioner under
suspension for more than eleven years on ground of inability on the part
of the authorities to conclude the Departmental Enquiry held against him
and then after reinstating him back in service and thereafter, to again
place him under suspension and to revoke his earlier suspension order
only on the ground that the petitioner approached the DGP for allowing
him to join his service are totally mala fide and in colourable exercise of
power. The learned counsel further submitted that the refusal on the part
of the authorities to comply with the direction given by this court amounts
to degrading the dignity of this court and majesty of rule of law and they
have committed gross contempt of this Hon’ble court. The learned
WP(C) No. 299 of 2025 Contd…/-
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counsel, accordingly, prays for passing an interim order for suspending
the impugned suspension order and also for issuing a direction to the
authorities to comply with the earlier direction given by this court.
Mr. Shyam Sharma, learned GA appearing for the
respondents seeks some time to get instruction from authorities and for
filing a detailed counter affidavit.
As prayed for by the learned GA, list this case again on
23-05-2025. In the meantime, it is hereby directed that the impugned
order dated 03-04-2025 shall remain suspended. Further, the Director
General of Police, Manipur, respondent No. 2 herein is directed to
comply with the direction given by this court in its order dated
01-04-2025 in WP(C) No. 837 of 2024 without any further delay.
JUDGE
Devananda
WP(C) No. 299 of 2025 Contd.../-
IN. 2
SHOUGRAKPAM Digitally signed by
SHOUGRAKPAM
DEVANANDA DEVANANDA SINGH
Date: 2025.04.09 15:57:10
SINGH +05'30'
IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR
AT IMPHAL
MC(WP(C)) No. 275 of 2025
(Ref:- WP(C) No. 299 of 2025)
Palmei Langbanjao ... Applicant
Vs.
State of Manipur & ors. ... Respondents
B E F O R E
HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE AHANTHEM BIMOL SINGH
O R D E R
09-04-2025
In view of the order passed today in the main writ petition,
the misc. case stands closed.
JUDGE
Devananda
WP(C) No. 299 of 2025 Contd.../-
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