Dehradun: A week after Uttarakhand high court issued contempt notices to principal secretary (forest) RK Sudhanshu and other senior officials for defying a stay order, the state govt has withdrawn the transfer order of IFS officer Pankaj Kumar from his post as director of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.The division bench had earlier directed that no transfer order be issued to remove Kumar. Despite this, the state had passed a transfer order in April and failed to withdraw it even after Kumar’s representation. The state counsel has now informed the division bench that the transfer order has been cancelled, following which the court has closed the petition.On Monday, the state counsel informed the division bench that the state has cancelled the transfer order. Recording the same, HC has closed the transfer petition.Last Wednesday, HC had issued contempt notices to three senior state officials for wilfully disregarding a stay order protecting an IFS officer from being transferred, asking them to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them. Justice Pankaj Purohit had issued show-cause notices to IAS Sudhanshu, Mukesh Kumar Rai (joint secretary, environment and forests) and RK Mishra (principal chief conservator of forests) after the forest department issued a fresh transfer order on April 13 against IFS officer Kumar.Kumar, who serves as director and conservator of forests for Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve in Gopeshwar, had challenged a premature administrative transfer.The April 13 order transferred him to the post of conservator of forests (Kumaon South, Nainital) with additional charge as regional manager at Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation which he alleged was a direct violation of the court’s interim protection.The petitioner had urged the state govt, through an internal representation, to comply with the binding judicial orders and revoke the illegal transfer. Upon the state govt’s failure to comply with the order, the petitioner filed a civil contempt petition under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
