PRAVEENA V. Vs. STATE BANK OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner, being aggrieved by the punishment of "discharge from service with superannuation benefits and without disqualification from future employment," challenges Ext.P13 Enquiry Report, Ext.P17 order issued by the 4th respondent dtd. 18/11/2021, and Ext.P19 appellate order dtd. 11/3/2022 of the 3rd respondent and forwarded by the 4 th respondent, whereby the said punishment has been confirmed.

(2.) The petitioner submits that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against her, despite having served the respondent bank for eight years, on the allegation of taking a gold packet from the branch strong room. During a routine cash and gold verification conducted on 2/7/2020, it was reported that one gold packet could not be traced or produced for verification. On 8/7/2020, one Renjith, a recently promoted branch officer, contacted the CHM and requested a visit to the branch on the same day. During the search, along with other staff members, the missing packet was found in the parking area, which was not under CCTV coverage.

(3.) It was further reported that Mr. Anoop informed the Branch Manager that Mr. Janeesh had told him that the petitioner had committed the theft and had confessed the same to Janeesh. On this basis, the petitioner was suspected, and the Branch Manager asked her to write down a confession, which she refused. Subsequently, in an attempt to "settle the matter," the petitioner was allegedly compelled to sign two blank papers. These papers were later converted into a confession statement attributed to the petitioner, which was submitted as Ext.P1 letter to the Regional Manager dtd. 13/7/2020 and as Ext. P2 letter dtd. 16/7/2020 to the investigating official.