SC refuses to entertain plea of ex-KSPCB chief alleging acceptance of forged resignation

PTI, Sep 8, 2021, 8:54 AM IST

New Delhi/Bengaluru: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea of former chairman of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) against a state government notification relieving him from the post based on a resignation letter addressed to the chief minister.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana, however, accepted the contention of M Sudheendra Rao that the state government be asked to consider his representation against acceptance of resignation on May 2.

“At this stage, it was brought to our notice by senior counsel that the petitioner has filed a representation dated May 10, 2020 to the Additional Chief Secretary to the government, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, alleging certain allegations relating to his resignation dated May 2, 2020. In view of the above, it is open for the state government to take necessary action on the representation filed by the petitioner in accordance with law,” the bench said in its order.

Rao, a qualified engineer, referred to his version saying that his resignation letter was forged and sent to the chief minister”s office where it was accepted in haste and the Karnataka High Court refused to entertain his plea against this acceptance.

The bench, also comprising justices Surya Kant and Aniruddha Bose heard the submissions of senior lawyer V K Shukla and advocate Rohit Pandey on behalf of the former head of KSPCB.

“Having heard senior counsel appearing for the petitioner and carefully perusing the material available on record, we see no reason to interfere with the impugned order passed by the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru dismissing the writ appeal of the petitioner. The Special Leave Petition is, accordingly, dismissed,” ordered the bench.

It was claimed on behalf of Rao that some loose sheets of papers containing his signature were misused to fabricate the resignation letter.

The senior lawyer contended forged document was treated as resignation letter of the chairman, who was qualified as an engineer and rendered his services as consultant to the Union government and several other organisations.

The court, however, pointed out that the petitioner has already filed a criminal complaint in this regard, the police investigated the matter and filed a report.

Rao has challenged the validity of the Karnataka High Court”s order, which dismissed his plea against acceptance of the resignation letter.