A senior Drug Inspector working with additional powers of the State Licensing Authority in the Union Territory of Pondicherry was placed under suspension for allegedly misbehaving with higher officials in the department. Sources from the department said M Dhanasekaran has been suspended as per Central Government Employees Conduct Rules, for his misdemeanour in the office.

While speaking to Pharmabiz, a senior official in the department said the action was taken after a long deliberation by department heads, and added that apart from his disobedience, Dhanasekaran had crossed all limits and even gone to the extent of sending complaints to the Union Health Ministry against the departmental officials of the Union Territory.

But Dhanasekaran obtained an order from the Central Administrative Tribunal staying the withdrawal of powers of State Licensing Authority, which he had been given by the department in the year 2007 considering his seniority. Before suspension, government had taken back the powers of state licensing authority and handed over to P Rajkumar, a staff in the public health laboratory. According to officials in the department, the stay will be in force till the government files a petition.

The Drugs Controller, Deenadayalan said a detailed inquiry would be conducted based on the charges framed against him. He said the suspension order was served by the director of the Health department.