The Chhattisgarh High Court has put a temporary halt on disciplinary action initiated against an employee of the Durg Municipal Corporation after he alleged misuse of authority by the civic body commissioner. The court has issued notices to the municipal commissioner, the state government, and other concerned parties, seeking their responses in the matter.
The case came up before a single bench of Justice P.P. Sahu, which has fixed February 23 as the next date of hearing. The respondents have been granted three weeks to file their replies.
Allegations of Personal Demands via WhatsApp
According to the petition, the municipal commissioner allegedly asked the employee through WhatsApp messages to arrange movie tickets, rice, fruits, and even Wi-Fi recharge for the commissioner’s residence. The employee has submitted screenshots of these WhatsApp chats as evidence before the High Court.
Ironically, the same employee—who claims to have complied with these personal requests—was later suspended and proceedings were initiated to remove him from service, prompting him to approach the court.
Court Questions Disciplinary Procedure
While granting interim relief, the High Court observed serious lapses in the disciplinary process. The bench noted that the inquiry officer did not examine any witnesses listed in the charge sheet to substantiate the allegations.
From the inquiry report submitted to the disciplinary authority, it appeared that the proposed punishment was recommended without proper examination of evidence, the court remarked. In view of these shortcomings, the court stayed further disciplinary proceedings against the petitioner until the next hearing.
Challenge to Charge Sheet and Inquiry Report
The petitioner has challenged:
The charge sheet issued on September 18, 2025, and
The inquiry report dated October 6, 2026, submitted by the Deputy Commissioner of Durg Municipal Corporation.
As per the petition, the employee was initially appointed as a peon in August 2014 and later promoted to Assistant Grade-III in November 2019.
Background of the Dispute
The controversy began when the municipal commissioner issued a show-cause notice on July 31, 2025, alleging irregular appointments and promotions of certain employees. The petitioner replied, stating that he merely placed files before the competent authority in his capacity as an in-charge clerk and had no power to appoint or promote any employee.
Despite this, he was suspended on August 7, 2025, which the petitioner has termed as arbitrary and mala fide.
WhatsApp Chats Submitted as Evidence
In a striking development, the employee placed copies of WhatsApp chats before the court. The alleged messages include demands such as:
Bringing red grapes,
Booking corner-seat movie tickets for a specific film,
Purchasing 10 kg of special rice,
Recharging Wi-Fi installed at the commissioner’s bungalow, and
Queries about whether an MIC meeting could be cancelled.
Relief for Now, Case to Continue
With the High Court’s interim stay, the disciplinary action against the employee remains suspended for now. The matter will be heard again on February 23, when the court will examine responses from the municipal commissioner and the state government.
The case has sparked discussion over misuse of official position, employee rights, and procedural fairness in disciplinary actions within local bodies.
