RAM DHARI VATS Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner was working as an Assistant Manager at the Narela Branch of Syndicate Bank ("Bank"), New Delhi. He was issued a charge sheet on 25.11.1996 for a disciplinary enquiry under Article 6 of the Syndicate Bank Officer Employees (Discipline and Appeal) Regulations, 1996. Broadly, the charge was that the petitioner had abused his official position during his tenure as Manager in the Baghpat Branch of the Bank in Uttar Pradesh between 17.8.88 and 21.5.92 and sanctioned/released six loans amounting to Rs.60,000 in a manner detrimental to the interests of the Bank.

(2.) The Enquiry Officer in his report dated 6.7.1998 held charge No.1 to be partly proved, charges 2 and 3 not proved and charges 4, 5 and 6 fully proved. The Disciplinary Authority disagreed with the findings of the Enquiry Officer and found all the charges to be proved. By a letter dated 20.10.1988 the Disciplinary Authority enclosed a copy of the report of Enquiry Officer, the tentative view thereon of the Disciplinary Authority and required the petitioner to reply to the same within a specified date. The petitioner replied to this letter. By an order dated 28.11.1988 the disciplinary authority after coming to the conclusion that the petitioner was guilty of all the charges, imposed on the petitioner the penalty of dismissal from service. The petitioner's appeal was dismissed by the Appellate Authority on 10.3.1999. Thereafter, the petitioner filed this writ petition on 1.2.2000 seeking the quashing of the Enquiry Officers report, the dismissal order and the Order of the Appellate Authority.

(3.) Mr.Arun Bhardwaj, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner makes the following submissions: