GOPAL VAJANI Vs. STATE BANK OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present writ petition is directed against the order of punishment passed by the respondent on 16.01.2004 together with order dated 29.12.2004 passed by the appellate authority and order dated 11.11.2005 passed by the reviewing authority whereby the appellate as well as the reviewing authority upheld the order of punishment dated 16.01.2004 by which the disciplinary and the appointing authority imposed the penalty of "Removal from service" in terms of rule 67 (i) of the State Bank of India Officers Service Rules (hereinafter referred to as the "Rules" for the sake of brevity).

(2.) The petitioner entered into the service of the respondent State Bank of India (For short the "Bank") in the year 1978. He joined the services in the Bank as Clerk-cum-typist. In the year 1984, he was selected as Scale-I officer and in the year 1990 was selected as Scale-II officer. Thereafter, he was selected as Scale-III officer in the year 1993. According to the petitioner, he participated in the selection process of Scale-IV officers and was declared successful in the written examination. However, he could not be selected for the said post as the interviews for the said post were held on 31.01.2004 and the order of punishment was served on the petitioner on 29.01.2004.

(3.) The charges which were levelled against the petitioner were in respect of the period when the petitioner was discharging his duties as Branch Manager at Ballarpur from October-1994 to January-1998.