In Brief
The State of Tamil Nadu sought to transfer ongoing idol theft investigations from its Special Investigation Team to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The High Court quashed this transfer and directed the respondent, a retiring police officer, to continue heading the idol investigation team after superannuation. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's core findings that the transfer was unjustified and that the High Court could validly direct a retired officer to lead investigations under Article 226. However, the Court modified certain directions, including those regarding compensation and reporting procedures, and disapproved the High Court's declaration that a subsequent Government appointment order had become redundant. The appeals were partly allowed.
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