Madras HC comes to rescue of officer threatened by MLA

Admitting the plea moved by S Devanathan, Joint Director, District Mission Management Unit, Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission, Perambalur District, Justice Satrughana Pujahari granted an interim stay against the transfer and directed the government to file its response by July 3.

The officer submitted that when he took over as the Joint Director on February 26, out of the total 810 beneficiaries, 126 were already selected by the district level selection committee headed by the District Collector and the remaining 684 beneficiaries were selected after he assumed office.

The local AIADMK MLA R Tamilselvan, often contacted him and other officials through his supporters, to include the persons of his choice in the beneficiaries list, but consistent refusal resulted in the MLA threatening him on May 21 of dire consequences, he said and noted that the threat was immediately reported to higher officials.

But contrary to his expectation that his sincere service would be duly appreciated by the Government, he was transferred from the current post by an order dated June 11, he said and added “To my utter shock and dismay a copy of the transfer order was literally thrown at my face by the MLAs supporters even before it was officially sent to me.”