Policeman fired for drug use while on duty files Supreme Court case after compensation cut

A former chief station inspector of the Marine Police Department who was fired for performing his duties under the influence of drugs has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, after his financial compensation was significantly cut by the High Court.

The former policeman had his compensation slashed from six months of pay to one month.

The High Court had made the decision two years back, but the court’s records show the appeal was filed with the Supreme Court just last week – well beyond the usual 30-day window for appeal in such cases.

The former policeman in question had tested positive for narcotics while on duty in February 2017. He was dismissed a year later, in February 2018. He subsequently filed a wrongful termination lawsuit with the Civil Court, seeking his reinstatement as well as claiming back pay as compensation.

The Civil Court ruled that the police had sufficient grounds for his dismissal, and that there was therefore no room for reinstatement. However, the court ordered the state to pay him MVR 126,934.80 for six months of salaries and allowances for failure to prove he was served with his termination letter.

The state appealed the decision with the High Court, which stated that the case involved a procedural error, and therefore warrants only a symbolic compensation as per precedence set by the Supreme Court.

The court therefore reduced the compensation from six months of pay to just one month.