- (1.) Heard Sri T.P.Singh, learned Senior Counsel assisted by Sri Anil Kumar Srivastava for the petitioner and Sri Mata Prasad, learned Additional Chief Standing Counsel for the respondents.
(2.) The petitioner is seeking quashing of the order dated 16.9.2014 (Annexure-1 to the writ petition) by which he has been placed under suspension. The principal ground for challenging the suspension order is that the same has been passed by the Director (Panchayati Raj) U.P., Lucknow, who is not the competent authority.
(3.) The petitioner is working on the post of Assistant Accountant in the office of District Panchayat Raj Officer, Moradabad. On the charge of making fraudulent signatures of the District Magistrate, Moradabad he has been placed under suspension on account of a criminal case no.637 of 2014 being initiated against him under Sections 420,467,468,469 and 471 I.P.C.. Without going into the question about the validity of those proceedings and the evidence against the petitioner, which is beyond the jurisdiction of this Court, what is required to be examined as of now is as to whether the order of suspension has been passed by the authority who is competent to pass the same or not.;