N Natarajan suspended

N Natarajan
Photo: Mathrubhumi

By Nebil Nizar
Thiruvananthapuram: State Information Commissioner Shri. N Natarajan is suspended by Governor H.R Bharadwaj on the advice of the State Cabinet.

The Government of Kerala recommended suspension against N Natarajan on the basis of an enquiry conducted by Additional Director General of Police R Sreelekha and subsequent advice by Home and Law Departments.

Vigilance DySP V.G Kunhan complained to his seniors in black and white along with a audio recording that Deputy Inspector General N Natarajan (as he then was) was pressurizing him to spare VS Achuthanandan, the then Chief Minister, against whom a case was then investigated by him. V.S Achuthanandan,  former Revenue Minister K. P. Rajendran, the then Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sheela Thomas and Personal Assistant Suresh were named as accused in the case.

Natarajan was appointed as the Information Commissioner during the tenure of V S Achuthanandan as the Chief Minister of Kerala. Now when the controversy raked up, VS Achuthanandan expectedly disowned Natarajan. 

‘If Vigilance Report is against Natarajan, then he must move out’, said former Director General of Police M.G.A Ramen in a telephone interview with us. The Kerala RTI Federation has also requested the Governor to initiate proceedings against Natarajan. 

Legal position of this issue is like this. Section 17(2) of RTI Act, authorizes Governor of a state to suspend Information Commissioners in case of malpractices. Section 17(1) of RTI Act says that Information Commissioner can be removed from service only after an inquiry by the Supreme Court.


(Originally published at http://glctvpmlaw.blogspot.in/2012/11/n-natarajan-suspended.html)