N V SURYANARAYANA Vs. A P KHADI BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ appeal is from the judgment of the learned single Judge in W.P.No.5021 of 1987 dismissing the writ petition filed by the appellant herein challenging the legality of the order, dated 24-10-1980, in the proceedings bearing No.Estt/24/G1/80 passed by the Andhra Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board (for short "the Board") appointing an Inquiry Officer to conduct an inquiry into three charges concerning his failure to account for a sum of Rs.10,000/- entrusted to him as imprest amount at the time when he was trransferred from Nalgonda to Nirmal on 12-5-1980, and also two subsequent orders of punishment, one in the proceedings bearing No.Estt/G1/24/80, dated 27-1-1982, and the other in the proceedings bearing No.Estt/24/G1/80, dateci 24-9-1982, We may briefly state the facts leading to the present writ appeal.

(2.) The appellant was working as Superintendent in the office of the Board. During the year 1979-80, he was promoted as in-charge Assistant Development Officer. A sum of Rs.10,000/-, it appears, was entrusted to the Assistant Development Officer as imprest amount, When the appellant was transferred from Nalgonda to Nirmal, it appears, without rendering an account in respect of the said imprest amount, he joined the new post at Nirmal. The said amount of Rs,10,000/-, it appears, was advanced as loan by the Small Farmers Development Agency (for short "the SFDA") to enable the Board to incur expenditure for the purpose of obtaining the photographs of the rural artisans identified by the Board for eligibility for financial assistance. After the identification was made and the photographs of the eligible allottees were taken and attested on the application forms, the Board would collect a sum of Rs.10,000/- from each of the beneficiaries and remit the same to the SFDA. On 9-1-1980, after the appellant was transferred to Nirmal, his successor took charge. The failure on the part of the appellant to render the account resulted in the Board framing three charges sliding into each other and centering around the imprest amount of Rs.10,000/-.

(3.) On 24-9-1980 the appellant was suspended pending inquiry into the charges, and the Inquiry Officer was appointed by order, dated 24-10-1980. After regular inquiry by the Inquiry Officer, an adverse report was submitted by him, as a consequence of which the Board passed an order in the proceed ings bearing No.Estt/G1/24/80, on 27-1-1982 directing stoppage of two future increments with cumuiative effect and calling upon the appellant to remit a sum of Rs.12,767-50 ps. made up of Rs.10,000/- the principal and interest calculated at the rate of 71/2 per cent per annum. The period, during which he was under suspension, was not treated as duty period.