AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA Vs. P. SREE KRISHNA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present intra-court appeal under Clause 10 of Letters Patent stems from departmental disciplinary proceedings instituted against Respondent No. 1 (hereinafter referred to as PSK ), resulting in the order passed by the Disciplinary Authority of the Appellant Company (hereinafter referred to as AAI ), as confirmed by the Appellate Authority, imposing the penalty of Reduction of pay by one increment /stage in time scale of pay for a period of one year with effect from the date of the order . These orders were assailed in a writ petition filed by PSK, being W.P. (C.) No. 9149 of 2017 which has culminated in the impugned judgment dated 1st August, 2019 passed by the learned Single Judge, whereby the afore-noted orders have been quashed with a direction that if PSK has suffered any promotion/seniority or other benefits, the same shall be restored, provided he is otherwise eligible for the same.

(2.) The brief factual matrix giving rise to the present appeal is as follows:

(3.) Mr. K. K. Rai, learned Senior Counsel appearing on behalf of AAI, has raised the following contentions: