Archana Ramasundaram, a 1980-batch IPS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, has been posted as Director, National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), New Delhi. The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved her posting to the NCRB by curtailing her tenure as Additional Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), New Delhi.
In its order, the Department of Personnel and Training said the post of Director, NCRB, was being temporarily upgraded to that of Director-General of Police for a period of two years. However, the appointment would be subject to the outcome of the writ petition pending in the Supreme Court.
‘Deserted office’Acting on instructions from the Centre, Ms. Ramasundaram joined the CBI as its Additional Director in May 2014. However, contending that she was not formally relieved from her duties, the Government of Tamil Nadu placed the officer under suspension on charges that she “deserted office.”
While Ms. Ramasundaram, in her capacity as the DGP and Chairperson of Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board, had sent a letter to the Chief Secretary saying that she was proceeding to New Delhi to take charge of her new post, the State government maintained that her action lacked legal or procedural propriety.
Acting on a writ petition filed by a journalist who submitted that the appointment of Ms. Ramasundaram was not in accordance with the procedure contemplated under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, the Supreme Court had restrained her from discharging her functions.
Even as the Centre defended the appointment of the IPS officer as the Additional Director of the CBI in the Supreme Court and pleaded for allowing her to discharge duties, the Tamil Nadu government opposed the plea saying that she continued to be an officer in the State.
