E. RANGACHARI Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) For an incident that had occurred on 2/7/1997, while the petitioner was serving as a Sub Registrar under the Registration Department, alleging that he had received Rs.10,000.00 as illegal gratification and trapped by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department, charges came to be framed against him on 26/5/2004. A criminal case was also registered against him in S.C.No.58 of 2000. Based on the charge memo, an enquiry officer was appointed on 6/10/2004. However, the enquiry came to be kept pending till 28/5/2010, on which date an order came to be passed by the second respondent, declining the petitioner to retire from services. In the meantime, on 3/10/2013, the petitioner was acquitted from the criminal case in S.C.No.58 of 2000 by the learned Special Judge, Salem. Thereafter, since the enquiry did not conclude even after 10 years, the petitioner herein seeks to quash the charge memo dtd. 26/5/2004, as well as the order of not permitting him to retire dtd. 28/5/2010, in these Writ Petitions.

(2.) Heard Mr.V.Ravikumar, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mrs.C.Sangamithirai, learned Special Government Pleader for the respondents.

(3.) The learned counsel for the petitioner challenges the impugned orders on the ground of inordinate delay in initiating the disciplinary proceedings, as well as in concluding the same.