For the time being, TN Director General of Police (DGP) T K Rajendran (IPS:1984:TN) can breathe easy as the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court declined to pass interim orders in a public interest litigation filed against him for a Court-monitored inquiry into missing of documents relating to his involvement in Gutkha scam.

A bench comprising Justices K K Sasidharan and P D Audikesavalu sought replies from the DGP and other officials including Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, former Chief Secretary Rama Mohana Rao and V K Sasikala among others.

The bench gave the direction following the contentions of the litigant's counsel seeking an interim direction to restrain the DGP from discharging his duties. As the notices were yet to be served to the parties and no counter has been filed so far, the Judges refused to pass any interim orders and adjourned the case to January 21 for the filing of responses by DGP and others.

The litigant has submitted that the appointment order issued to Rajendran on June 30, 2017, had been obtained by fraudulent means.

He alleged that even after the I-T department gave a copy of documents linking Rajendran's name to Gutkha scam, found during the Income-Tax raid conducted at MDM Gutkha manufacturing company, to the State government, the government had deliberately suppressed the same recommending extension of Rajendran's tenure.