File picture of police officer Sathiya Priya when she was part of the UN mission in Sudan.
Giving relief to a Tamil Nadu woman police officer, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal by the state government against an order that had said the Tamil Nadu government had "wrongfully suspended" her.
Ms Sathiya Priya was suspended by the Tamil Nadu government in March 2014 on her return from Sudan, where she was sent by the Centre to take part in a United Nations mission. The Tamil Nadu government had said that it had suspended her for "defying its recall order".
Ms Sathiya Priya was the first woman officer from Tamil Nadu to take part in the UN mission. She was chosen for the assignment in 2010, for which she had obtained the state government's approval. Just before departure, the state police called her back, saying her application was still pending. But the Union Home Ministry did not let her return and she went ahead to Sudan for the UN mission.
Selection for the UN project is valid for two years. People close to Sathiya Priya say her second application, which she had sent as a backup, was still pending with the Tamil Nadu government. However, to cite this as the basis for recalling her was wrong, they claimed.
Ms Sathiya Priya's last posting was as the Deputy Commissioner of Police for Law and Order in Tiruchirapalli. She was suspended after she returned from the UN peacekeeping mission. She had then approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) against the Tamil Nadu government's suspension order.
In May, the CAT quashed the suspension, set aside the entire disciplinary proceedings and directed the state government to give Ms Sathiya Priya a proper posting, saying, "The very premise for instituting the disciplinary enquiry was erroneous."
However, the Tamil Nadu government chose to appeal twice, first at the Delhi High Court and then at the Supreme Court. The appeal had been dismissed by the Delhi court in July.
Senior officials say they are yet to receive the top court's order. However, for the question on whether Ms Sathiya Priya would be given a posting, an officer said, "It's the government's prerogative."