P BALAKRISHNA PILLAI Vs. GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) There was a disciplinary enquiry against the petitioner, a Reserve Inspector, R.P.A.R.Five charges were levelled against him and though the Enquiry Officer found him guilty of charges, 1. 2, and 5, we are now concerned only with charge No. 5, since the Government exonerated him of all the other charges. The punishment imposed on him by the appointing authority and confirmed by the appellate authority and the Government was 'reduction by one stage in the time scale for one year on duty.' Charge No. 5 was as follows : -

(2.) The finding of the Enquiry Officer (Superintendent of Police) Krishna, on this charge was recorded in these terms :-

(3.) The circumstances which led to the framing of charge No.5 were as follows :-On the night of 7-2-61 Sri Gopala Rao, Sub Inspector who was on emergency call duty checked the mileage of police jeep bearing No APX 5351: He noticed a discrepancy between the reading of the milometer of the jeep and the entry in the trip-sheet of the jeep. The reading of the milometer was 17771 whereas according to the trip sheet it was 17701. He recorded what was noticed by him in the General Diary of the Police Station. On 12-2-1961 the diary was forwarded to the Superintendent of Police by the D. S. P. Vijavawada with a remark that on the nigbt of 8-2-1961 he also noticed a discrepancy of 100 miles between the reading of the milometer and the entry in the trip sheet. The Superintendent of Police, Krishna thereupon ordered the Reserve Inspector (Petitioner) to enquire into the matter and submit a "detailed report fixing up the responsibility urgently".