ALAPAN BANDYOPADHYAY Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Present petition has been filed by the Petitioner assailing the order dtd. 22/10/2021, passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as the 'Tribunal'), Principal Bench in P.T. No. 215 of 2021. Petitioner also seeks a direction that Original Application (O.A.) being O.A. No. 1619/2021 filed by the Petitioner be heard and disposed of by the Tribunal, Kolkata Bench.

(2.) Factual narrative is in a narrow compass and to the extent relevant to the controversy involved in the present petition is that Petitioner joined IAS in 1987 and was allocated the West Bengal Cadre. Petitioner superannuated on 31/5/2021 and at the time of his superannuation was working as the Chief Secretary of the State of West Bengal.

(3.) On 26/5/2021, a cyclone named as 'YAAS' had hit parts of West Bengal and Odisha. On 31/5/2021, a Show Cause Notice was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Petitioner for abstaining himself from a crucial review meeting chaired by the Hon'ble Prime Minister on 28/5/2021, for assessing loss of life and property and damage to the infrastructure caused by the cyclonic storm. On 16/6/2021, a major penalty charge sheet was issued to the Petitioner by the Respondents herein, for not attending the aforesaid meeting on 28/5/2021, as well as for not apprising the Hon'ble Prime Minister about the hardships and sufferings faced by the people of West Bengal, amongst other allegations mentioned in the statement of Articles of Charges and imputation of the alleged misconduct or misbehaviour.