S. GURUMOORTHY Vs. SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner was formerly working as an Assistant at the Office of the Sub -Registrar, Ambattur, Chennai North Registration District. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance and Anti Corruption, Chennai, along with a team of Officers made a surprise raid at the office of the Sub Registrar, Ambatur. During the same, there were several irregularities noticed. So far as the petitioner is concerned, he was found in possession of Rs. 7,220/ - and the same was recovered from him since, he did not offer any explanation for the same. From the other staff of the said office, various amounts were recovered. Apart from that, a sum of Rs. 74,580/ - was recovered from the office premises of the petitioner. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, after completing the said raid, submitted a report. Based on the same, a charge memorandum was issued to the petitioner in A1/1254/07 dated 05.12.2007 by the Tribunal for disciplinary proceedings, Chennai. In that proceeding, the petitioner was shown as A.3. One Mr. G. Dakshinamoorthy, the then Sub -Registrar and one Ms. Indira the then Sub Registrar (Chit & Society) were shown as A.1 and A.2 respectively.

(2.) SO far as the petitioner is concerned, as many as four charges were framed. The petitioner denied all the four charges. The Commissioner for disciplinary proceedings on completing the enquiry, had found that the charges 1,2 and 4 were not proved and charge No. 3 alone was proved. Charge No. 3 reads as follows: -

(3.) THE petitioner however denied the above charge. According to him, he was not aware of the said amount and he had no knowledge that the money was kept in the office premises. He did not claim the amount also. Based on the said report and on accepting the same, the Government issued G.O. (D). 331 Commercial Tax and Registration (H) Department dated 20.10.2011, imposing a punishment of stoppage of increment for two years with cumulative effect on the petitioner.