Rajasthan courts order government to pay ₹5 lakh costs to suspended IRS officer and rebuke political interference in a 2

The Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur quashed a Central Administrative Tribunal order that had upheld the suspension of IRS officer Manmeet Singh Ahluwalia. The court directed the Central government and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs to pay exemplary costs of ₹5 lakh, stating that the suspension was based on “gross exaggeration of trivial deviations” and caused the officer “great mental agony” and damage to his career.

Separately, the Supreme Court sharply criticised the Rajasthan government for revisiting its earlier decision to refuse prosecution sanction against a government doctor accused of taking a Rs 2,000 bribe for a knee surgery. The apex court upheld the High Court’s order quashing the sanction, noting that the review was “politically driven” and lacked fresh evidence, and warned that such interference violates established legal principles.

Both judgments underscore judicial scrutiny of Rajasthan’s administrative actions and reinforce limits on political interference in disciplinary and corruption proceedings.