C. PRABHAKAR RAO Vs. GENERAL MANAGER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE unsuccessful petitioner in Writ Petition No. 17956 of 2001 filed this writ appeal. For the sake of convenience, the parties are referred to as arrayed in the writ petition.

(2.) THE petitioner was initially appointed as a Clerk in the Syndicate Bank in the year 1975 and thereafter, he was promoted as an officer. On 23 -09 -1995, he was served with a memo alleging that he committed irregularities when he worked as Branch Manager at Donkeshwar and was required to submit explanation within seven days. Since there was no response from the petitioner, another letter was addressed on 09 -05 -1996, wherein certain other acts of alleged misconduct were pointed out. Ultimately, charge sheet dated 05 -10 -1996 was issued to the petitioner by the appointing authority wherein quite a large number of alleged acts of misconduct were mentioned. The petitioner submitted a reply to the charge sheet on 23 -10 -1996. Not satisfied with that, the disciplinary authority appointed an Enquiry Officer.

(3.) THE respondents filed a counter affidavit opposing the writ petition. According to them, a detailed enquiry was conducted and substantial number of charges which were grave in nature were held proved. The various contentions urged in the writ petition such as that the list of witnesses was not furnished and that the charges are vague, were denied. The plea as to proportionality of the punishment was also raised.