M RAJARATHINAM Vs. STATE BANK OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) (Writ Appeal under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent against the order dated 20.02.2003 made in Writ Petition No.779 of 1997.) The appellant is the unsuccessful writ petitioner, who challenged the order of punishment dated 07.02.1995, withholding of one increment of pay with cumulative effect, which was also confirmed by the appellate authority by proceedings dated 21.06.1996, pursuant to a disciplinary action initiated against him for three charges namely (i) he had failed to carry out the instructions of the Chief Manager (Officiating) on 27.10.1993 and refused to open the strong room; (ii) he had failed to disburse the gold loan on 21.09.1993 to the applicants although the loans were duly sanctioned by the appropriate authority; and (iii) he had submitted false declaration to the Bank in respect of housing loan sanctioned to him by altering a portion of the bill pertaining to the loan amount without the knowledge of the Engineer and submitted the same for sanction.

(2.) BEFORE proceeding further, it is apt to extract the order of the disciplinary authority dated 07.02.1995 as well as the appellate authority dated 21.06.1996, as hereunder: (i) The order of the disciplinary authority dated 07.02.1995:

(3.) BOTH the learned counsel for the appellant and the respondents reiterated the submissions made before the learned single Judge.