Staying the earlier transfer order, a single bench headed by Justice Om Prakash ordered reinstatement to the same post.
(Kamal Jagati)
Nainital. Former Uttarakhand forest department chief Rajiv Bhartri has received a big relief from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). Staying his earlier transfer order, a single bench headed by Justice Om Prakash ordered his reinstatement to the same post.
The Uttarakhand government, in its November 25, 2021 order, removed Chief Conservator of Forests (HOF) Rajiv Bhartari on administrative grounds over illegal tree cutting, illegal construction and scams in the Corbett Tiger Reserve. Rajiv had approached the High Court against this, after which the court had stayed the powers of the newly appointed head of the department and asked senior IFS Rajeev to take justice in his case from the Nainital bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The High Court asked THE CAT to reach a decision by conducting an early hearing, after which the CAT held a final hearing on February 20 and 21 and reserved the decision on February 21, 2023. Today, a single bench of CAT Judge Om Prakash, while hearing the order, termed Bhartari’s transfer order as wrong. At the same time, the court has ordered the government to appoint him back to the same post.
