A. SUGUMARAN Vs. THE MANAGEMENT OF TAMILNADU STATE TRANSPORT CORPORATION LIMITED, UDHAGAMANDALAM, THE NILGIRIS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant was an employee of the Tamilnadu State Transport Corporation Limited/first respondent. He was working as clerk in the Coonoor Branch of the Transport Corporation. His duty was disbursement of wages to the employees of the Branch and to maintain accounts for the disbursement of wages. One Devanesan, a driver of the Corporation made a representation that his salary for the month of Dec. 1996 was not paid. However, the signature purporting to be that of the driver was found in the acquittance register. But the worker denied having signed the acquittance register.

(2.) A preliminary enquiry was conducted. The said driver and the appellant were examined. The specimen signature of the said driver was collected for comparison by Handwriting Experts. The specimen signature and the disputed signature in the acquittance register were examined by the Government Handwriting Experts. They opinion that the person, who has given specimen signature, had signed in the acquittance register. Thereafter, another show cause notice was issued to the appellant. After considering his representations, a punishment of dismissal from service was imposed by an order dated 07.01.1999.

(3.) The petitioner preferred an appeal against the dismissal order and the same was also rejected. Thereafter, the appellant raised an Industrial Dispute in I.D.No. 491 of 1999 before the Labour Court, Coimbatore praying to cancel the dismissal order dated 07.01.1999 and to reinstate him with continuity of service. The parties adduced evidence in support of their respective cases. The Labour Court confirmed the punishment of dismissal from service.