LAKSHMI S. Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Sri. P.P.Hegde, learned Senior advocate along with Sri. Mayur K., learned counsel assisted by Sri. Akshay Kumar Jain, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri. Venkatesh S. Arabatti, learned counsel for respondent Nos.3 and 4 and Smt. Prathiba R.K., learned Additional Government Advocate for respondent Nos.1 and 2.

(2.) The petitioner was working as Assistant Engineer in the office of Assistant Executive Engineer, Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited, KRIDL Sub Division, Ramanagaram. A complaint was filed by one Sri. Chandramohan Joshi - respondent No. 6 before the Upa Lokayuktha alleging financial irregularities and misappropriation of the amounts released from the office of the Executive Engineer, KRIDL Sub-Division, towards the execution of infrastructure development works in Ramnagaram Sub Division. The said complaint was investigated by the enquiry officer. The enquiry proceeded against the petitioner, Sri. T. Narayana Swami, Assistant Engineer and Udaya Meghalamane, Junior Engineer. All of them were working in KRIDL, Ramanagaram Sub division.

(3.) The petitioner was entrusted with the work for carrying out works for an amount of Rs.29,70,000.00. The petitioner had maintained a personal account bearing the No. CBCA/01/000128 at Corporation Bank, Ramanagaram, in which the said amounts were deposited for carrying out the various development works. The charge against the petitioner was that she had withdrawn various amounts through self-drawn cheques from time to time from the said account. The details of the Government money withdrawn by the petitioner through self-drawn cheques have been detailed in the enquiry report.