SC stays centre's decision to dismiss IPS officer Satish Chandra Verma

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed for a week, the Centre's decision dismissing Satish Chandra Verma, a senior IPS officer who had assisted the CBI in its investigation into the alleged fake encounter case of Ishrat Jahan in Gujarat. Verma was dismissed from the service on August 30, a month before his scheduled retirement on September 30.

A bench of Justices KM Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy allowed Verma to approach the Delhi High Court challenging his dismissal and said it was for HC to consider the question as to whether the stay or vacation of dismissal order is to continue.

Verma had moved to SC after HC allowed the home ministry to take action against him in the wake of a departmental inquiry that proved the charges against him, including interacting "with public media" when he was chief vigilance officer of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation, Shillong.