Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh YadavReuters

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav revoked on Sunday the controversial suspension of IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal.

Sanjay R Bhoos Reddy, Secretary of central IAS officers association, on Nagpal's reinstatement said, "Everyone knows it is a delayed decision, IAS officers' in the country need an environment to work freely and fairly," reported PTI.

On 27 July, Nagpal was suspended as Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar for allegedly demolishing of wall of a mosque that was being built illegally on a government land in Greater Noida.

The Samajwadi Party government had accused Nagpal, who had taken action against a sand mining mafia in the state, of taking a hasty administrative decision that could have provoked communal disharmony in the area.

The suspension of the 2009-batch officer triggered nationwide outrage, which led Congress chief Sonia Gandhi ask Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene in the case and ensure that Nagpal gets fair treatment.

On 30 July, social activist Nutan Thakur filed a PIL at Allahabad High Court to summon the file related to the suspension of Nagpal and sought its cancellation if the suspension was found to have taken place on illegal and improper grounds.

But the court refused to intervene on 2 August, saying it was an issue 'between the master and the servant' and also asked the council to seek direction from the Centre.

When advocate ML Sharma filed a PIL at the Supreme Court saying that the action taken against Nagpal was arbitrary and unconstitutional, the court dismissed the petition.

"The moment she approaches the court, we will hear her plea and we may pass an interim order," the bench had said.

However, another row regarding the controversial suspension of Nagpal was triggered by SP leader Ram Asrey on Sunday.

Asrey claimed that Nagpal apologised to the CM for her actions when she and her husband met him on Saturday.

"CM Akhilesh doesn't have any personal grudge against anyone. IAS Durga Shakti apologised for her mistake and CM revoked the suspension," he said.

Kiran Bedi, social activist and former IPS officer, reacted to his statement saying, "I refuse to believe Durga apologized. It cannot be her nature! Its a motivated rumor.Hence it be rejected.Hope she remains her original self."

On the other hand, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asked Yadav to apologise to the IAS officer for suspending her.

"Happy that she (Durga Shakti) is reinstated but more importantly he (Akhilesh Yadav) should apologize to her for tarnishing her image," BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh told ANI news.