D K NAGABUSHANAM Vs. COMMISSIONER HINDU RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT ADMINISTRATION NUNGAMBAKKAM CHENNAI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner seeks a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records of the second respondent dated 14.12.1998 made in Na.Ka. No. 2917/98/2, to quash the same and to consequently direct the second respondent to pay the full salary of the petitioner from the date of the impugned order namely, 14.12.1998.

(2.) BY the proceeding dated 14.12.1998, which is impugned in the above writ petition, the second respondent has placed the petitioner under suspension pending an enquiry into the alleged charges framed therein.

(3.) FROM the very facts and circumstances of the case, there cannot be any dispute that the removal of the stone pillars, which were considered to be of Pallava days even according to the petitioner, assuming they were damaged and got buried within the temple, has got its own historical value, and the disposal of the said stone pillars to the third parties without any proper permission from the authorities have rightly been considered by the respondents as grave charges. Therefore, I am unable to accept the contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner that the charges framed against the petitioner are not grave in nature. With regard to the power of the second respondent to pass the impugned order of suspension, Iam obliged to refer Section 56(1) of the Tamilnadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959, which reads as follows: