File photo of IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal
IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, whose suspension by the Uttar Pradesh government last month on questionable grounds triggered nationwide outrage, met Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav last week, raising the possibility that her suspension may be revoked soon.
Sources say the 28-year-old officer opted for a political recourse to end her suspension when she met Mulayam Singh, the father of state Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and explained her stand.
There are signs of a political intervention to get her suspension revoked.
Some sources say formal orders for her reinstatement may be issued tonight or tomorrow morning.
The 2009-batch officer was suspended as SDM of Gautam Buddh Nagar on July 27 for ordering the demolition of a mosque being built illegally on government land in Greater Noida.
Defying criticism, the Samajwadi Party asked the officer to respond to charges of poor administrative acumen and lack of foresight by ordering a demolition that endangered communal harmony in the month of Ramzan.
Ms Nagpal's reply, reportedly claiming innocence, came 10 days ago. But it was after her meeting with the Samajwadi Party chief that the state Home Secretary RN Srivastava was asked to review her case.
Sources said the inquiry officer was "examining her response" and analysing the sequence of events that led to the mosque demolition.
Ms Nagpal's suspension had led to widespread anger with even Congress president Sonia Gandhi writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to ensure she is not treated unfairly.
Her supporters allege that she was 'punished' for her severe crackdown on the politically-connected illegal sand mining mafia in western Uttar Pradesh.