IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan who quit over Kashmir issue asked to join duty immediately
Daman, Aug 29: IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan, who resigned last week and stated that he did so as the denial of "freedom of expression" to the people of Jammu and Kashmir was not acceptable to him, has been asked to resume duty and continue to work till his resignation is accepted.
Gopinathan, who was the secretary, power department of the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, submitted resignation to the Home Ministry on August 21.
The Personnel Department of Daman and Diu has now asked him to attend the office till it is accepted.
As he was not present in Silvassa, the capital city of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, officials pasted a notice on the door of the room in a government guesthouse where he lived.
The notice, dated August 27, has been signed by Gurpreet Singh, deputy secretary, personnel department of Daman and Diu.
Citing Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) rules, the notice said resignation by a government officer "becomes effective when it is accepted".
"Therefore, you are hereby directed to continue attending to your assigned duties immediately, till a decision is taken on your resignation," it said.
When contacted, Gopinathan told PTI that he was aware of the notice, but declined to comment further.
After resigning, the IAS officer had claimed he took the decision as he wanted to express his views against the "denial of freedom of expression" in Kashmir.
His resignation, though, had made no mention of the Kashmir issue.
After tendering resignation, Gopinathan, who hails from Kottayam district of Kerala, had said to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution was the "right of elected government", but in democracy people have the right to respond, too.
"After taking the decision on Kashmir, nearly 20 days have passed and even now, the people there are not allowed to react or respond to it and that is not acceptable in a democratic set-up. Personally, I could not accept it and continue in the service during such a time," he had told PTI.
The 32-year-old officer had first come into limelight when he hid his identity and joined in relief work during the 2018 Kerala floods.
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SC regularises interim bail granted to Gujarat-based journalist in money laundering case
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday confirmed its earlier order of granting interim bail to journalist Mahesh Langa in a money laundering case linked to a matter involving an alleged financial fraud lodged by the Enforcement Directorate at Ahmedabad.
The top court on December 15 last year had granted the interim bail to Langa and fixed the case for further hearing on April 10.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the probe agency, and said the interim order is confirmed.
The bench agreed to the contention of Mehta that the observations made in the bail order shall not be construed as remarks on merits of the case. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal had represented Langa.
Earlier, opposing the bail plea, the solicitor general had said, "Journalists extorting money and saying that if you do not pay, I will write against you is a serious offence."
The bench had granted the relief and ordered a day-to-day trial in the case and imposed certain conditions on the journalist, including asking him not to write any article in any media outlet about his sub-judice case and seek any adjournments before the special court.
"The petitioner will furnish the bail bonds to the satisfaction of the designated special court under the PMLA," it said, adding, "The special court is directed to take up the case on a day-to-day basis for consideration of charge and if charge is framed, recording the statements of all the nine witnesses."
The bench directed Langa and his counsel in the trial court to extend "full cooperation to the special court", and said "no adjournment shall be sought or permitted on the ground that quashing proceedings are separately pending before the high court".
It said this condition is being imposed as the high court has not granted a stay on the trial proceedings.
"The Directorate of Enforcement shall also cooperate with the special judge for taking up the case on a day-to-day basis," the apex court said.
Langa will be at liberty to raise all legal contentions, objections and defence pleas, and place the material for the special court's consideration in accordance with law, it added.
"The petitioner shall not publish or write any article in his position as an assistant editor of a newspaper with respect to the allegations, which are sub-judice against him, before the special judge at Ahmedabad," the bench said.
It also made it clear that the interim bail is being granted subject to the petitioner's "good conduct and behaviour".
On July 31, last year, the Gujarat High Court rejected Langa's bail plea in the case on the grounds that if he is granted the relief, prejudice would be caused to the prosecution case.
On February 25, 2025, the ED said it arrested Langa in connection with a money-laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.
The journalist was first arrested in October 2024 in a Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud case.
The money laundering case against Langa stems from two FIRs filed by the Ahmedabad Police on charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to certain people.
