Chandigarh: The Chandigarh bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has set aside the suspension of Kumar Punit, regional provident fund commissioner-I of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), and the subsequent order shifting his headquarters to Chennai-Puducherry.In its order pronounced on Oct 14, 2026, the tribunal directed the department to allow him to resume work at his previous posting in Chandigarh.Kumar Punit had challenged the action, alleging personal vendetta. In his petition, he stated that he had sent a legal notice seeking damages for defamation to Rajiv Bisht, additional central provident fund commissioner, on July 26. He was suspended the following day, on July 27, 2026.Punit subsequently submitted a representation on Aug 3, following which an order issued on Aug 15 shifted his headquarters to Chennai-Puducherry.The department argued that disciplinary proceedings against Punit were already pending. It also alleged that he had shared news reports and comments in an official WhatsApp group in response to messages concerning corruption, following the CBI’s arrest of EPFO enforcement officer Shubham Tyagi. The department treated his messages as misconduct.However, the tribunal rejected the department’s justification, observing that the original suspension order did not mention the WhatsApp conversations or the alleged indiscipline. Citing a Supreme Court judgement, CAT held that an order could not be justified subsequently by introducing fresh grounds that were not part of the original decision.The tribunal also observed that the department had failed to explain how allowing Punit’s headquarters to remain in Chandigarh would prejudice the inquiry. It held that a general provision permitting employees to be posted anywhere in the country was not, by itself, sufficient justification for shifting an officer’s headquarters thousands of kilometres away during suspension.With the suspension and transfer orders set aside, the tribunal directed the department to permit Punit to resume work at his pre-suspension posting in Chandigarh.
