RAKESH KATARE Vs. SATPURA NARMADA REGIONAL RURAL BANK

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present petition has been filed by the petitioner under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking following reliefs:

(2.) The petitioner is posted as the Branch Manager at O. P. M. Amlai Branch, Satpura Narmada Regional Rural Bank, Shahdol. The case of the petitioner is that in the year 1989 when he was appointed as Clerk-cum-Cashier in the respondent-Bank and was posted at Kanchanpur Branch of the Bank, in the intervening night of 5. 6. 1989 and 6. 6. 1989 a theft took place in the Branch wherein the safe of the Branch was broken open and a sum of Rs. 4713. 15 was stolen. A police report was also filed in this behalf on the next day i. e. on 06. 06. 1989 but nothing happened in this behalf for quite some time. It is further submitted by the petitioner that the safe which was installed was of Stealage Company and was also subjected to a theft previously in the year 1987.

(3.) Subsequently, the petitioner was promoted on merit-cumseniority basis as Senior Clerk in January, 1990 and so far as the case of theft is concerned, the petitioner was not informed about any further development for considerable period of time and in the meantime the petitioner also became the member of the Employees' Union and voiced their grievance for their welfare which was taken otherwise by the Bank Management. Thus, more than 3 years after the said incident of theft, the petitioner received a letter dated 26. 8. 1992 calling for his explanation regarding the incident. The reply to the aforesaid letter was submitted by the petitioner immediately but again no action was taken and the matter was forgotten.