BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LTD Vs. T V PATEL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) BSNL has challenged the judgment of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Ahmedabad dated 5th December 2003 allowing the original application of the present respondent, quashing an order of disciplinary authority imposing penalty on the respondent for the alleged misconduct. Brief facts are as under :

(2.) AT the relevant time, the respondent was working as Sub -Divisional Officer -Phones at Navsari. He was served with a chargesheet dated 30th June 1997 alleging that,

(3.) IN the statement of imputation of charge, it was elaborated that as per Manual of P&T, no subscriber located within the local area of telephone exchange would, except with a specific approval of the Government, be given a connection from any other exchange. In the present case, the respondent received an advice note from the Commercial Officer, Valsad for providing telephone connection to seven subscribers of Munsad village from Navsari Telephone Exchange. The respondent did not take any action to verify whether the telephone connections in question fall within the local area of Navsari Telephone Exchange. He, instead, directed Shri L.S Panchal, J.T.O to grant such connections though he was aware that Munsad village was outside the local area of Navsari Telephone Exchange. Later on, under the orders of Telecom District Manager, Valsad, the telephone connections were disconnected.