Telangana HC grants interim relief to IPS officer in cadre transfer case

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has granted interim relief to IPS officer Abhishek Mohanty, ordering that he not be relieved from his duties in Telangana until the ongoing inquiry by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) concludes. This ruling comes in response to a recent directive from the Union Home ministry that mandated Mohanty’s transfer to the Andhra Pradesh cadre, which he had contested.

The High Court’s decision, allows Mohanty to remain in Telangana while the CAT reviews his petition challenging the ministry’s order. The court emphasized the need for a swift resolution of his case and directed CAT to expedite its proceedings.

In a hearing earlier this week, Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice E Tirumala Devi, who presided over the hearing, expressed concern over the repeated transfers of Mohanty, likening it to “playing musical chairs” within the bureaucratic system.

Mohanty’s legal counsel argued that his domicile status in Telangana should have been adequately considered when making decisions regarding his cadre allocation. The lawyer criticized the ministry for its “mechanical” approach in handling his case, stating that both CAT and the High Court had previously ruled in favour of Mohanty, instructing that he be retained in Telangana due to his established ties and contributions to the state.

The backdrop of this case is rooted in the complexities surrounding cadre allocations following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Mohanty, originally allotted to the Andhra Pradesh cadre, was transferred to Telangana following a 2022 government order that recognized his domicile claims. However, recent actions by the Union Home ministry aimed to revert him back to Andhra Pradesh, prompting his appeal.