Sharanappa to peruse HC order directing suspension

MANGALORE: Sharanappa SD, superintendent of police, Dakshina Kannada, on Sunday said that he will prefer to go through the written directions of the high court to keep him and three other police officers under suspension.
HC had on Wednesday ordered that the SP, Belthangady circle inspector and sub-inspector, and assistant SI attached to Belthangady police station be suspended till chargesheet was filed in a land-grab case.Justice S N Sathyanarayana had passed the order on grounds of dereliction of duty by not registering a case against a local rowdy-sheeter.
Sharanappa said, "I am yet to receive a copy of the order containing the direction," adding that he knows about the action proposed against him from media reports. "I may receive the orders during the week," he said.
Sources in the know of the incident leading to the HC order told TOI that principles of natural justice were not followed and the high court did not summon Sharanappa while hearing the case. Besides, the high court in all probability has exceeded its brief in directing suspension of an IPS officer, without giving the government chance to follow due course of disciplinary action.
Senior police official privy to the developments said any decision to place a police officer of the rank of superintendent of police rests with the state government. "The government will go through the direction and formulate its response," a police official said. Besides, there are rules under which Sharanappa can be placed under suspension, the police official said.
The high court was hearing a case by petitioners Shashikala J Shetty and Meera T Shetty in which they alleged that Mahesh Shetty T, a local leader had trespassed into their land in Ujire for constructing a nagabana and had cut around 50-odd arecanut and coconut trees.