EASTERN COALFIELDS LTD Vs. SWADHIN KUMAR BANERJEE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS application under Article 226 of the Constitution is for issuance of a writ of certiorari and/or mandamus and/or prohibition and/or writ or writs in the nature thereof and/or direction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

(2.) THE petitioner has contended that the respondent no.1 was a permanent employee of the petitioner at its Shankarpur Colliery under Bankola area and was posted as 'Storekeeper'. While he was on duty at the said colliery on September 3, 1994, some iron materials of the said colliery had been dispatched through some outside trucks in his connivance without observing the formalities and without the knowledge of any of the concerned Officers of the petitioner company posted in the said colliery. Accordingly, a departmental enquiry was lodged and the petitioner was directed to defend, but, he did not cooperate with the Enquiry Officer and he prayed for adjournments on two occasions and as a result, the Enquiry Officer submitted his report ex parte on the basis of which the petitioner issued the order of dismissal against the respondent no.1.

(3.) UPON hearing the learned Counsel for the parties and on going through the materials on record, I find that so far as the earlier enquiry as to misconduct of the petitioner is concerned, the departmental proceeding proceeded ex parte in view of the fact that even when notices were issued to the respondent no.1, he did not cooperate and he filed an application expressing his grievance to attend on the medical ground.